The Moments Between Us
by Option 141
Summary: Post game. Life changes with or without you, and after two years of seperation, Locke and Terra learn this the hard way. Brought together by Terra's failing health, they come to find things in each other they never thought they would. Warnings listed.
1. A Goodbye

**Authors note**: I will first state that this is post game and spawned simply from a moment's whim after watching clips from Dissidia. I must stress that this is made up of moments set on the same timeline, but happen at different points along it. The time notice at the top of each story will tell you how much time has passed. It is imperative that you understand the time given in the first chapter since all times will be given based on that first one. For instance, the story starts three years after the death of Kefka. In the next piece he may state a time of five years, this is five years **after the death of Kefka** not after the last event. You'll get the hang of it.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Final Fantasy 6. It I did, It probably wouldn't have been as fun as it was. Nor do I own any of the music that will be used throughout the course of this story.

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The Moments Between Us

Moment one:

A goodbye.

**Three years, six hours, twenty-four minutes since the death of Kefka.**

That's how Locke Cole had thought of time for the better portion of his life, and the death of Kefka had not changed that. It was not often that the years since the defeat crept up on him, but since he had received the invitation to the anniversary party, it had been ringing in his head like a chapel bell. Like everyone else on the planet, Kefka's downfall was a marker for him, history's new point of reference. But for Locke, it was a new beginning, a point to start time all over again. He'd grown tired of the last count anyway.

Sure, he was glad to see the invitation, but that didn't mean it excited him. Edgar threw the party every year, along with a Yuletide party, birthdays and anything else he could think of celebrating. Parties were Edgar's bread and butter, not because of the women he could chase, but because of the people in general. He was a people's king, thrived on them, lived and breathed them. But Locke, he wasn't the best with people, never was, never would be. Not since…

Locke shook his head to clear the stray thought and resettled himself against the wall. Colored lights and streamers filled his view as he looked up, almost blinding him with their brilliance. The sounds of thrilled revelers flooded his ears as the band struck up a new tune, encouraging the crowd to dance. He cast his gaze across the hall, the gaudy colors of the party gowns and paper lanterns dancing before his eyes like shimmer flies on a muggy summer night.

It was pretty, but it just wasn't his thing. A cool breeze drifted in through the open windows, trailing with it that soft smells of late summer in the desert, his favorite. A hearty belly laugh broke though the roar of the crowd, drawing his attention back to the party in progress. Sabin stood off to the side, one hand on Cyan's shoulder as he gave another guffaw. Cyan just looked at him, his face colored with what could only be embarrassment as he adjusted his blue linen tunic. Sabin just grinned at him as Cyan started speaking again, running fingers through his freshly cut and groomed hair.

Locke chuckled. You could dress Sabin up, as handsome as the prince he really was, but Sabin would never stop being just that, Sabin. The band finished it's tune and began another, this one of a slower tempo but just as jovial as the last. Women laughed as they gathered together and danced in a circle, their satin-heeled feet following the new dance that was 'all the rage' across the world. The return of trends was the last thing he'd expected to see so quickly after the downfall, but it just showed the strength of the human race.

He shifted against the wall again, tugging briefly at the soft white shirt Celes had asked him to wear. She asked the same thing of him every year. White shirt, Black pants and vest, and his best boots. She asked, because it was the only thing he agreed to. He hated tunics, they just weren't his style, so she didn't bother. But, he gave her what she wanted and never argued. Though, he had to admit, he did hate this shirt. The sleeves were too long, and the fabric was too soft. But, even Edgar wouldn't let him dress normally for these puffed up, fancy parties, so he did as he was told.

He'd been doing that a lot lately, being obedient. It was unlike him, but it made things with Celes easier. Not that things were difficult with her, but, he just didn't want to put forth the effort of arguing with her. She was a strong willed woman, and he loved her for it.

"Speak of the angel," He said as he saw her duck through a mass of revelers, a glass in each hand. She paused as a couple brushed past her, holding the drinks away from herself so as not to spill any of it on her pastel green gown. She shook her head in annoyance once they'd gone and started toward him again.

"Delivery!" She chimed, holding the glass out to him. He took it gratefully, sipping at the cool prickly pear flavored beverage within. His favorite. She knew him well.

Celes took a sip of her own before pausing to toss her long cascade of white blonde hair back over her shoulder. She complained that it was too long now, but kept forgetting to cut it. At waist length, the strands were truly glorious, fine as spider silk and soft as a cloud. He loved it. Loved trailing his fingers through it as she lay on the bed. Loved the smell of the gardenia-scented oils she used to keep it clean and shining. Loved her.

"I love Edgar and all, " She started. "But his parties get a little annoying. But hey! Kefka's gone right? Let'em get crazy!" She grinned at him, blue eyes sparkling with mirth as she settled back against the wall herself, tugging absently at the top of her gown. It was strapless, so it made her nervous. Being rather well endowed was often her main annoyance, and she had fretted over this dress ever since she put it on this evening, constantly afraid it would fall down. Locke couldn't complain though, she looked gorgeous, and who could complain about those creamy shoulders being out to play. She caught him staring and elbowed him in the side.

"Pick your jaw up off the floor, lover boy, or you'll catch flies." She chuckled, her blue eyes sparkling. She took a long drink out of her glass, licking her lips clean of the sweetness before putting it down on the low table beside her. She pushed herself up from the wall slowly, eyeing the top of her gown before casting a sidelong glance at him, her long dark lashes fluttering against her pale cheeks.

"Well, I'm off to find Relm," She said, "She's been pranking people all night, and Strago's just about hit his last nerve with her."

Locke nodded his approval and watched her go, her hips swinging more than usual with the knowledge that he was watching her a small promise of things to come. He chuckled as she vanished into the crowd. The tempo swelled again, and the crowd got louder. The alcohol was flowing faster now that the hour had grown later, and the party was ready to get more wild than wholesome since the families with children had all left for the evening.

He looked about the hall again, searching for his friends on a moment's whim. He found them easily. There was Edgar in royal purple, laughing at something the Chancellor hand just said. And of course, Sabin and Cyan, in the corner, each wearing a shade of blue. Gau had joined them by now, his soft brown a good compliment to his hair, now combed and tamed. At heart, he was still a wild boy, but living with Sabin had turned him into a fine young man. He spoke much better now, but was, thankfully, still himself.

He spotted Setzer at the gaming tables, his black dress coat a sharp contrast against his silvery hair. He laughed at some joke a player made as he dealt the next hand. Locke hoped he was playing fair for once. Strago sat at the dinner tables with a few older folks, drinking and talking what could only be the latest world news. Celes was on the dance floor, surprisingly, distracting a prettily made up Relm. Her yellow dress a perfect compliment to Celes' green. He found them, one by one, all of them that came that is. Except for…

There.

He saw her, right where he least expected her to be. Far across the room, standing quietly with her back to the wall, hands folded quietly behind her.

Terra.

She wore a simple gown of red satin. Red, her favorite color. It always looked good on her. It was floor length, which was unusual for her, but she'd been doing unusual things the last few times he'd seen her. The dress must have cost her a fortune, or the satin at least. Terra never bought clothes anymore, she couldn't afford them. She refused to talk about it, but they all knew that looking after the children had left her with very little time to make money. When pushed, she always said that she didn't need it. Mobliz was a fully functioning farm after all, albeit a small one, so money wasn't something that was needed.

He kept his eyes on her, surprised to find her standing all alone in the corner, looking rather like the outcast girl no one ever asked to dance. It was a shame. She'd put her hair up in something other than a ponytail for once. It was a delicate bun, with soft tendrils of rich emerald green hanging down to frame her pale face. She was stunning, despite her plain gown and simple bun, but then, Terra was always beautiful.

Locke looked around the party once more before making his decision. He set his mostly full glass on the small table next to Celes' and stood away from the wall. Straightening his shirt, he struck out, keeping close to the wall as there were less revelers here, he ducked around tables and a few who'd decided to catch a moment's rest. He moved past them easily enough, his years of treasure hunting having left him with agility and balance circus performers would have killed for.

She didn't notice him as he approached, she just stood there, watching the party happen without her. In truth she looked a little nervous, like she wasn't sure if she was welcome on the dance floor. She raised a hand to her lips, and tried to chew on her nails, a nervous habit she'd never broken. But, her long violet gloves got in the way and she dropped her hand, fingering at her evening bag.

"Hey darlin'" He said as he came up to her. She looked at him, her amethyst eyes wide with surprise at the sight of him. "Some party eh?"

"Yeah, it's great." She replied, turning her gaze back to the party. There was something distant in the way she gazed at them, as though she weren't actually seeing the party.

"I tell ya though, I wish Edgar would throw a quiet one once in a while, with just us heroes." He said, slipping easily into the way he always spoke to his friends, overly friendly and laidback.

"Yeah, that'd be nice."

The same empty response. A warning flag jumped up in his mind as he looked at her. She looked normal enough, despite being so dressed up. She pressed her lips together briefly, her red lipstick shining in the brightly colored lantern light. She shifted her weight slightly, disrupting the fabric of her gown, sending it fluttering gently about her lithe figure. Three years had gone and she still kept her fighters figure.

It was strange though. Since her arrival the day before, she'd been secluded and quiet, almost as though she was lost. It was entirely like her. The Terra he knew was a blossom of joy, not this quiet, lonely figure. It unnerved him, this sudden change. She showed no outward sign of illness, just this emptiness, but only when she was alone, or thought she was. She laughed and joked just the same with the group, but there was a distance now. Was it because Mobliz was so far away? Or was it something else? It couldn't be a man, he was certain of that. It wasn't a woman either, Terra always seemed apathetic when the subject of relationships and reproduction came up. Ever since he'd met her, she just hadn't cared.

"Why aren't you out there?" Her question was sudden and caught Locke off guard. Shaken from his thoughts, he was uncertain of what to say for a moment. But he'd always found the truth to be the best response so…

"Big crowds aren't my thing." He said, turning his gaze back to the dance floor, Celes had moved away from the dancers, Relm having dragged her over to Edgar to talk and get something to drink. She seemed to be having a good time, popping cherries into her mouth. She waved across the crowd as Sabin, Gau, and Cyan joined them, bringing more laughs to the group. "I could ask the same of you..."

"And the response would be the same." She replied.

"Just a couple of loners, aren't we?" He chuckled, nudging her in the shoulder, hoping he could get her to smile. She looked up at him, her amethyst eyes glassy and almost empty. Locke chuckled awkwardly, wondering if he'd said something wrong. He reached up to run his fingers through his silver hair.

"Hey," He started. "You wanna dance?" He knew the answer before he'd finished the question, but it was too late to retract it.

"No, thank you." It was not an unusual response from her regarding dancing. Terra was a self-proclaimed clutz after all, she always said she could trip on air. And dancing was no different. It was the way that she looked back to the dance floor with those empty eyes that bothered him, but he knew better than to ask.

"Hey, would you like some juice? It's prickly pear." He tried to tempt her, drawing out the drink's flavor in an attempt to draw a smile out of her. She just shook her head to the negative, her expression lacking any interest at all.

"Terra?" He questioned, another warning flag popping up in his head. Something was definitely wrong here. Something major was bothering her. "Are you.."

"Yes, I'm fine." She stated, cutting him off. She turned to face him, raising a gloved hand to brush a stray hair away from her pale face. Locke got a good look at her then. She looked ghostly almost haggard, her face thinner than he remembered.

"Terra, I..."

"If you'll excuse me, I think I'll head to bed. I need to leave early tomorrow. I told Jacoby I'd be home in time for his birthday."

With that, she turned and strode away, her usual long stride carrying her quickly to the door leading to the rest of the castle. He called out to her, but Edgar's annual fireworks display began, and the crowd quickly moved to the windows. The cries of the crowd and the boom of the fire works drowned out his voice and he couldn't break through the bodies to chase after her. Somehow, Celes found him and caught him by the arm, dragging him to the windows. He didn't see Terra the rest of the evening, but then, Celes kept him too occupied to particularly care.

--

He woke before dawn, which was surprising for the day after one of Edgar's parties. But then, he hadn't been drinking, which was also surprising. He couldn't figure out what woke him up until a chocobo down in the castle yard trumpeted again.

"Hush you!" Came the angered whisper-shout of the stable hand.

Remembering the party, Locke all but jumped out of bed. Stuck with a sudden and acute need to be in that yard, to see Terra before she left. He froze for a moment, looking back to make sure he hadn't woken Celes. But, judging from the dark circles around her eyes and the fact that she had been drinking last night meant that she would be sleeping in.

Grabbing his pants and shirt from the party, he threw them on as fast as he could before barreling out of the room barefoot. He raced down the hall, oblivious to the cold floors beneath his feet or the desert chill that filled the air despite the hearths that were kept warm all year long. He had to get there, had to see here before she left. Or, or..Or he didn't know what. His need became a fear as he picked up speed, his run becoming a full sprint. His gut told him something was terribly wrong, and when it came to Terra, his gut was never wrong. It had been that way since he'd found her on the cave floor in Narshe.

And his gut told him, that if he didn't say goodbye now, he'd never get to, ever again. His head told him this was an entirely ridiculous and unfounded fear, but his legs kept running and his surface thoughts kept racing. He had to see her!

He felt stupid as he struggled with the band of his pants as he came around a corner, almost knocking over a guard on his way. He threw an apology over his shoulder as he tried to buckle his pants. But the damn things were too big and just never stayed on right. Forgetting about it, he took a right at the end of the hall and shot down the straight hallway at full tilt for the door at the end. Using his momentum, he hit the heavy door like a train, his hand finding and depressing the latch immediately. Succumbing to the force of his momentum, the heavy door all but slammed open onto the dark stable yard.

He stumbled over the threshold as his feet found the sand that somehow always crept in from the yard. The stone steps were cold and hard beneath his already cold feet, a stiff reminder of how cold the desert night got. Pain assailed the balls of his feet as the chipped stone cut into his skin. By some miracle he kept his footing and made it down into the yard in time to see Terra climb up into the saddle.

Both the stable groom and Terra turned to look at him as soon as the door slammed open. Surprised registered on Terra's face as he straightened up, his shirt trying to slip off his shoulder as he panted. He'd forgotten to tie the damn laces. He hated this damned shirt and could only imagine how awful he must look at the moment. The thoughts of rumors that would soon be spread about him flitted in and out of his mind. He, Locke Cole, the man who was expected to marry an ex-imperial general standing in a dark courtyard, barefoot and sweating, and panting so hard his oversized clothes were trying to fall off.

"Locke?" Terra's voice was delicate in the chill morning air, her face barely illuminated by the groom's solitary lantern, the shadows on her face making her look ghastly.

"Are you alright, Sir?" The groom asked, true worry in his voice.

"Yes, I'm fine. I...I just wanted to say goodbye." He said, his voice cracking in the chilly morning air.

Terra fixed him with a steady gaze, her grip on the reigns tightening as the great yellow chocobo shifted about in annoyance. It wanted to leave. Terra cast a glance to the open gate, the light of pre-dawn beginning to glow on the horizon. Looking back to him, her brow knitted together as what could only be described as a sad look came over her face.

Deciding, Terra reached down and handed the reigns to the groom, who took them without question. The man nodded too her and stepped aside. She slipped easily out of the saddle, readjusting her ratty brown travel cloak about her slim figure. She remained where she was for a moment and just looked at him, back straight, her ponytail hanging over one shoulder.

Locke's shoulders slumped of their own accord and held his arms out to her, hoping she'd come. Terra had never been much of a hugger, she just seemed to dislike physical contact with anyone other in general. She fingered her ponytail for a moment before doing the unthinkable. She didn't just come to him, she ran to him, right into his waiting arms. She hit him hard, throwing her arms about his back as his own locked about her shoulders and hung on, as though for dear life. And deep in his gut, the fear reared its head higher.

"I'll miss you," He said, his voice trying to choke on the words.

"And I you," Her voice barely above a whisper. "But, I need to leave. If I could stay, I would."

"You promised Jacoby." Locke stated, the words straining in his throat. Why did this hurt so much? Why was he shaking? It was just Terra, he'd see her in a few months, right? "I'll visit you, I promise."

"Promises, promises, everywhere and everyday, broken and unbroken, with or without care, I've no care for promises, as people choose not to keep, promises promises, enough to make me weep." The words were strange coming from her, but he chose not to think about them for the time being. He had heard them somewhere before though, but couldn't think of it. The meaning, however, did not strike him until much later.

She drew away from him then and his body ached for the loss of her warmth, the chill creeping into his bones no that the adrenaline had faded. Terra was always warm, no matter how cold it got. Though the magic in her blood was gone, there was fire in her veins. It was that fire that she gave to her friends and family, it was what made her Terra.

"I need to leave." She said quietly, holding him at arms length. "I will miss you, Locke Cole."

"And I you, Terra Branford." He said as he squeezed her arm. She slipped away from him then and made for the chocobo.

"I love you." He called as she reached for the reigns. She paused at his words before taking the leather straps from the groom. She cast him a glance and uttered something similar, as was custom among the group now. You can't save the world without coming to love those you did it with.

Reaching up, she tugged the hood of her cloak up and over her forehead, before wheeling the chocobo about and heading for the gate. As the bird crossed the threshold into the desert, Locke felt again that he would never see Terra Branford again

And as she vanished into the desert, he was certain of it.


	2. Promises Kept Late

The Moments Between Us

**Moment two:**

Promises kept late.

**Five years, six months, one week, three days, eight hours, four minutes since the death of Kefka.**

Locke peeked back over his shoulder, eyeing the cave opening as he reached into the niche in the raw stonewall before him. He had to be careful not to be too loud here; the place was full of wild animals. Considering how secluded this place was, it wasn't surprising. The small hole proved to be deeper than he had originally thought, so he repositioned, carefully changing his footing.

There! His gloved fingers closed easily about the tiny cold something hidden away in the cave wall. Grinning, he leaned back on his heels, drawing his arm from the opening. Wiping the spider webs from his arm, he raised his hand to take a look at his newest treasure. It was a green crystal the size of a small bird, were it polished and cleaned, it would be as clear as glass. He grinned again as he held it up to the light, reveling in the pure emerald light that washed over him.

_Emerald…_

He blinked the dust from his eyes as he dropped the stone into his pouch. It was a star crystal, the kind used in star pendants. With any luck, it would fetch him a pretty bag of gold when he got back to town. Turning away from the wall, he continued down the rocky ledge, keeping his ears sharp for any disruptions. Granted, all the big animals were deeper in the cave system, it never hurt to be wary of cave bats and rock rabbits.

_Emerald…_

He shook his head to clear the thought. Why was that bothering him? There was no way this little backwater cave system could hide any emeralds. The conditions weren't right. He shrugged it off as the ledge spread out into a wider floor, sloping upwards toward another level of the cave system. He'd been through all of them by now, had been through every little hole and crawlspace so many times he could do it blindfolded. But that didn't mean it was safe.

The slope sharpened and he had to drop to his hands and knees to keep going. Hand and foot holds were easy to find and the going was rather low impact, which was just fine for Locke. Catching onto a ledge at the top, he hauled himself up easily, his boots knocking loose a few pebbles as he passed. At the top, he brushed the dust of his hands and looked about him, trying to get his bearings. It was easy enough, the caves being one giant multi-leveled loop.

He took off to the east, making for the exit, his dagger at the ready, for the eventual skirmish. People still referred to a good portion of the world's creatures as monsters, the sad thing was, they were right. It was still far too easy to be jumped by some wild beast just outside of a town, or even in a caravan.

Soon enough, the mouth of the cave yawned before him, the golden light of midday peeking in through the gaping hole hanging not three feet over his head. Reaching up, he cast a last glance behind him before hauling himself up and over the edge.

Golden sunlight momentarily blinded him on the other side before giving way to broad green meadows and rolling hills. Behind him loomed great rocky mountains that formed when Kefka made the decision to rearrange the face of the planet. Somewhere up there was the ruins of a town that had been lost. He'd found them once, and would never go back.

Brushing himself free of the gray cave dust, Locke inhaled deeply, before coughing hard, expelling the dank cave air from his lungs. Bending, he planted his hands on his knees and inhaled again. This time he was able to taste the fresh sweetness of the mountain air he loved so much. Straightening, he put his hands over his head and stretched as far and as hard as he could, reveling in the feeling of blood returning to warm his limbs after the moist chill of the cave.

He settled back down quickly though as he struck out down the mountainside, fingering the laden pouch at his hip. His findings would bring him a decent amount at the shop in town, maybe he'd take Celes out to dinner, they hadn't done that in a while, and she deserved the treat. He'd take her somewhere fancy, ask her to dress up. She didn't get to do that often, only for Edgar's parties, and she was always afraid someone would spill something on her. If he took her to Jidoor, she wouldn't have to worry about that. Yes, that was what he'd do, take her to Jidoor, a little vacation would do the both of them a world of good.

Celes deserved a vacation, some real alone time with him, especially since he'd taken up treasure hunting again. It drew him away from home and often times he'd be gone for weeks. But every time he returned, Celes was there waiting for him, in the house that they'd built two years ago. He'd come home for a while, help around the house, do odd jobs around town before adventure called to him again and he'd kiss Celes goodbye and vanish for a while. She was dealing with it as a military wife would, bless her. But then, that was the only way she could imagine to deal with it. With most of her life in the empire, she'd probably seen a hundred military wives. Some waiting patiently for their love, others, not so patiently and not so true to their love.

It wasn't anything she did. No, she was wonderful, patient, loving and perfect. It was the adventure that drew him away. But, Celes was getting impatient, as she should be. She wanted him to stay home, to get married and have a baby. He wanted those things too, with all his heart. But something kept drawing him back out here. This was where he was truly happy, alone and free of the bustle of the growing city Kholingen was becoming. It was too loud there and he couldn't take it, so he left. He ran off to his first love, the dank shadowy caves and ruins of old castles, empty military bases and towns long forgotten.

He'd asked her to come with him, once or twice but she'd declined, saying that that wasn't the life for her anymore. She wanted to stay home, and go to work in the general store on the corner every morning. She wanted to work in the garden and talk with her friends. She'd settled into life easily, but then, after her life in the empire and the violence of Kefka's downfall, it must have been like laying back onto a fine feather bed for her to find this life comfortable. But then, in a way, this was a good thing, her refusal to join him. History had a way of repeating itself, and he couldn't go through it again. It would probably kill him to lose Celes.

But she was unhappy about his disappearances, as she should be and feared that he'd found someone else or just never come home. Though her fears were well founded, he'd never do that to her, he loved her too much. But, he just couldn't do it, go home and be that perfect husband. Get a job at the stables and make time for a family. He was an adventurer, it was in his blood, it was in his breath, and it was in his soul. He defined himself through his treasure hunting, it told him who and what he was. His self worth hinged on his abilities, and he wasn't about to let them go now, all for an easy and simple life.

He looked back over his shoulder as his feet found the winding dirt road at the base of the steep mountain slope. The chocobo he'd tied to a tree lifted her head from the tree's roots, a great hunk of moist wood in her beak. There was a sharp crack as the bird crushed the wood, releasing the worms and insects inside into her mouth, where she swallowed them greedily.

Locke laughed as the bird dropped the remaining bits of wood to the ground and warbled at him, pulling at her ties like a dog all to pleased to see its human-parent. Striding up to the bird, he reached out to rub the hen's beak before patting at her side, under her wing where she liked it.

"Ok Anya, we can go home now." He crooned to her, pressing his face into her thick neck, rubbing his nose in the soft feathers, "I promised Celes I'd be home for lunch, and I'm afraid we're going to be late if we don't go now."

Anya warbled at him as he loosed her reigns from the tree and heaved himself up into the saddle. The chocobo hen stretched her neck a few times before taking a few delicate steps away from the tree and into the main road, waiting patiently for Locke's direction. He cast his gaze to the east first, his eyes following the road as it curved north and vanished into the mountains. He could get on that road and go on forever, if he could just muster the courage. But, Celes was waiting, and he didn't want to disappoint her again.

He turned Anya to the west and set off for Kholingen, the pace a steady gallop. It wasn't far, but he didn't want to be late again. Celes didn't deserve another disappointment, not after he'd told her he was going to stay home for a while. Though, he'd been mulling over staying home for good, rather than only being here when there was another party to go to, or when it was one of their birthdays.

_Parties._

The parties never ceased or changed it seemed. Edgar still threw them, drawing crowds and music, laughter and song. Pulling them all together to remember what they'd done and who'd they'd done it for. Granted, it wasn't as though he didn't see his friends often. He saw a few of them once or twice a month with how much he traveled, but they were only all together at Edgar's parties.

There were a few, though; that he hadn't seen, and was certain he'd never see again. Mog and Umaro had returned to their mountains shortly after the defeat and didn't involve themselves with the outside world very often. Gogo and Shadow had vanished the day after Kefka had fallen, their wounds not even completely healed. But, there was one…

_Terra…_

He hadn't seen her for two years. Things had drawn him away from her once he and Celes returned to Kohlingen after the last party Terra had attended. He and Celes had decided to build a home for themselves and finally move out of the tiny apartment they shared above the general store. It was cozy enough but they had wanted something all their own, and it wasn't going to drop into their laps for free.

So, they'd picked a spot at what was at the time, the edge of town. They both saved their gold for six months and purchased the little plot of land from the town the moment they had a chance. While Celes kept up her work at the store, Locke and a few other men from the town, broke the land and began to build. One month later, they had a quaint little two room house with a comfy little den and kitchen, a moderate sized bedroom for them and a small guestroom for visitors should they decide to stay for a bit.

But lately, Celes had been eyeing the little guestroom, her heart filled with the sounds of tiny burbles and wails. She'd watch the children in town with a longing that tore at his heart, and had even asked if he thought it was time. And every time she asked, his answer was the same: he didn't know. It wasn't often that he couldn't answer an important question, but the life changing ones like marriage and babies, he just couldn't bring himself to answer. And it hurt Celes to hear it, and it tore at Locke to hurt Celes, but he just couldn't answer.

When he got home, he'd talk with her about it again. Maybe if he brought it up this time, it'd be easier for him to answer. They were getting older now, he into his thirties and Celes into her late twenties, it was high time for them to settle down and have a little one. But, the thought frightened him, and he knew why.

_Rachel…_

Years had passed and, though she had told him to let go, it still hurt. They'd been young and ready to marry, kids the next thing on their agenda. But, due to his own foolishness, that all went away only to be replaced by this unyielding fear of life, of living in general. He just wasn't ready to let go of the freedom of the open road.

Kohlingen loomed before him before he knew it. The growing town a pleasant sight amid the green meadows and sprawling forests that had survived the 'end of the world.' Even from this distance he could see the farmers out in their fields, preparing the land for the coming fall, mowing the fresh hay and spreading manure over the squash and pumpkins that would soon be on everyone's dinner tables.

Anya kept up her gallop as they moved into the farmland, the smell of fresh hay and tilled soil tickling his nose pleasantly. He waved to the few farmers and extra hands that were in this part of the fields as he passed by. The road through the fields was short though, and he was riding up the slope into town before he could blink.

The town bustled about him, people rushing back and forth between shops, children playing in the new park they'd built in the center of town, and street merchants shouting their wares. Yes, Kholingen was growing, rapidly. The mayor had just recently approved the request of the people to pave the town streets, and the avenues were filled with people laying down cobblestone. It would be wonderful when it was done, another two months and they'd never have to deal with ridiculous amounts of mud every time it rained again.

He directed Anya farther up the slope towards the suburban section of the town. Fine brick and wood houses stood quietly on either side of the road, their owners out in front tending to their animals, if they had them, or sparing a moment in their garden. He waved to a few of them as he and Anya ambled passed by, a welcome sight in the town now that he'd been here a few weeks already. Since he'd taken up his travels again, there had been whispers in the town about him and Celes. She said they whispered about his fidelity behind her back, and worried that she would wait forever for a man who didn't care. It wasn't uncommon for the older folks of the town to bring in some strapping nephew of theirs hoping to spark something between them and marry them off. They said she was too fine a woman to be left alone like that,

Locke agreed. She was too good of a woman to be ignored and left behind, which was why he'd made the decision to stick around for a good chunk of time. The weeks were quickly turning into months though, and he wondered if he'd ever take that road through the mountains alone again. The thought of staying for good was slowly becoming a reality and Celes was just about through the roof with joy. He liked it that way. When she was happy, he was happy. And that was how things should be.

Their house was easy to spot, the small white fence he'd repaired just a week ago set it apart from the others on the street. Celes had asked for the fence the moment they'd bought the land. It had seemed silly to him at first, a tiny fence barely at waist level. What was it supposed to keep out? She'd laughed at him and said that keeping things out wasn't the point. It was an aesthetic thing; just something she thought would be attractive. And she was right. It was cute, and he wasn't surprised to see a few other families starting to put them us. Celes was beside herself for starting the trend. He rode around to the back of the house, slipping out of the saddle and leading Anya into the little stable yard on foot. Anya warbled deep in her throat at the sight of her water bucket.

Chuckling, Locke led the hen into her stall and stripped her of her tack, setting it aside to clean after lunch. Once he'd pulled her beak harness off, Anya whistled at him and trotted off to her water trough where she drank slowly, filling her beak, then raising her head to let the water drift down her throat. As she drank, he came up be side her and scratched under her wing again. She raised her head from the trough and muttered gently at him, tapping him on the head with the bottom of her beak.

"Yes mother," He chuckled. He scratched her once more before turning and making his way into the house through the back door. He paused in the little mudroom to kick off his dusty boots. As he strode into the house proper, he pulled the bandana from around his forehead, not surprised to find it soaked with sweat.

"Celes! I'm back!" He called as he paused to rest for a moment on the edge of little sofa he'd built for them last year.

"I'm in here!" She called from the kitchen, a smile in her voice. "Clean yourself up a bit, we have a visitor."

A visitor? His interest peaked; he slipped into the little out room on the far side of the den and poured water into the basin from the little pitcher on the counter beside it. Washing his face took only a moment, but he paused to take some of the water and run it though his hair. Straightening, he looked into the little mirror he'd hung above the basin, it was a little thing, and expensive, but, he'd bought it for Celes' birthday the year before and she'd loved it. He had to admit, it was useful.

He rubbed at his face slightly as he looked at himself. He needed a shave and had gotten a little too much of a tan during his travels, he didn't like the look of it, but there was no way to avoid it. It was too hot in the summer to wear a cloak, and he'd only known two people in his lifetime that could do it. Celes and Terra, but then, they didn't tan, they burned.

Grabbing the little razor knife he'd bought when he decided to stay a while, he ran it along it's leather strap before applying cream to his chin and neck and giving his face a quick once over. Once finished, he washed his face again and ran the little metal comb he'd bought through his hair. It was getting longer and he kept forgetting to cut it. But it wasn't important, it hung almost to his chin now, and he was starting to like the look.

After dumping out the water, he turned and left the little room, making his way through the den and into the bedroom. He quickly shrugged out of his travel gear and took them to the window where he shook the dust out before putting them into his hamper. He'd do the laundry for Celes in the morning while she was at work. He'd gotten rather good at it the last few weeks and could do it quickly now. Shrugging into a fresh set of clothes, he padded back out into the den and made for the kitchen.

As he came in through the open door, he wasn't at all surprised to find Edgar sitting at the table with Celes, waggling his eyebrows at her after making some joke. Celes was laughing as she put a fresh plate of sliced ham on the table next to a day old loaf of bread and a small plate of butter. She smiled at him as he came in, wiping her hands on a small kitchen cloth before striding over to wrap her arms about him and press a kiss to his lips. He cuddled her for a moment before turning to greet Edgar with a broad grin.

"Your Highness! Good to see you!" He said, extending a hand to his best friend. Edgar rose and gave Locke's hand a hearty shake before coming forward to clap him on the shoulder.

"Cole, looking rattier than ever I see, How've you been?" The king said with a smile as he sat back down at the table. Celes quietly took her seat in her usual spot and Locke plopped down beside her as Edgar had taken his usual spot.

"I've been great. Found some little things in the caves up the road that ought to fetch us some decent gold. It should get me enough to white wash the walls in the bedroom before the winter, and leave me enough to get a few extra blankets for the bed." He didn't miss the look of surprise and pleasure Celes gave him at his statement. The walls in the bedroom were graying over with dust and she couldn't wash it off. A fresh coat of white wash was just what the room needed to brighten it up. And the new blankets would cozy the room up a bit, like she'd been talking about for the last few days.

"That's great," Edgar said with a grin, as he reached for a piece of bread and laid a piece of ham atop it. He took a bite with pleasure and swallowed. "You've built a wonderful home here, though I must say I'm surprised it hasn't fallen apart on you." He teased with a chuckle.

Grinning, Celes punched him in the arm before leaning back against Locke, nibbling on a bit of buttered bread. Locke wrapped an arm about her as he popped a bit of ham into his mouth, savoring the honeyed flavor that Celes had baked in, the day before.

"Not everything I touch falls apart, you know." He said, fixing Edgar with a mock glare, feigning seriousness. Edgar laughed and reached over to poke Locke in the arm.

"Could have fooled me." He chuckled, "I seem to recall you trying to repair the leg on one of the pool tables on the Blackjack and it just about coming down on your head."

"Hey, that whole airship had it out for me." Locke countered. Celes laughed, her lithe form, shaking in his grasp.

"Be nice boys," She said between chuckles as she took a piece of ham and tore it into strips, nibbling at them absently as the watched the two of them take jabs at each other.

"No," The said in unison, sending her back into another small fit of laughter.

"At least I'm not a skirt chaser." Locke said, taking the chance to make a jab at his best friend.

"Skirt chaser? You wound me, good sir." Edgar replied, laying a hand across his chest and feigning hurt. "My friend, I am little more than a simple gentleman endlessly seeking a perfect woman."

"Perfect woman?" Celes snorted. "I'm afraid they don't exist my friend, we're all insane."

"I beg to differ, my love." Locke interjected. "Where would I be if not for your brilliance?" Celes looked up at him and smiled. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her soft lips and another to her forehead. Edgar cleared his throat, and Celes blushed.

"So, Edgar, what brings you out this way, and how did you ever escape the chancellor?" He asked. He was taken aback however as Edgar's expression changed from one of mirth to one of all seriousness.

"I wish I'd come simply for a visit, but there is something very pressing about which I need to speak with you, my friend. There is a very urgent issue that has arisen among our family over the past year and I'm afraid that I don't know how much time we have left." He stated. Celes sat up then and folded her hands in her lap, her gaze focusing on the table. Locke looked first to her and then to Edgar in confusion.

"Time? What do you mean? What happened?" He asked, a warning flag popping up in his head at the look on Celes' face.

"Terra's sick." She said quietly. He looked at her his brow knitting together at the announcement. She looked as though she'd known for a while. Why hadn't she told him? He'd been home for a while and this was the first he'd heard of it.

"What does she need? I'm sure the alchemist can…"

"It's not that simple." Edgar said, cutting him off. "She's not sick in the sense that she's bed ridden. It's...it's hard to explain."

"She's falling apart." Celes stated, looking up at him. "That's the only way to say it. There's no real loss of health, she's just…not there anymore. It's like she's fading away."

"I went to see her a month ago," Edgar started, "It's like looking at and talking to a ghost. She smiles and talks and acts like there's nothing wrong, but you can tell she's hiding something."

"She's so thin," Celes stated, leaning over the table and folding her hands together. "It's like she only eats when she has too. She spends all her time working in the fields and keeping up with the children, taking no time for herself. It's sickening, Locke, watching her fall apart in front of our eyes. And she won't talk about it. She says that nothing's wrong and that she doesn't need help. I went out with her the last time I was there, we ran out into the forest and did our usual, we hunted and went rock climbing, camped out under the stars, but there was this undertone of emptiness. Sure, her strength is still there, the fields have kept her strong, but Terra isn't there. I went to hug her, and I thought I was going to break her. She's bone thin and her hair has gotten so long. She never let her hair get long. She hates it. Locke, I, we don't know what to do."

"Which is why I'm here." Edgar said as soon as she'd finished. "We don't know how much time she has left. She looks like she's dying Locke. The only thing Cyan and I have been able to come up with is that it's the loss of magic. She wasn't infused like Celes was, she was half esper, it was in her blood. And when the magic was scored out of her by the loss of Kefka, it must have taken something else with it, something important."

"It's been five years, if it was that, wouldn't it have happened earlier than this?" Locke questioned skeptically, resting his elbows on the table and leaning forward. He meshed his fingers together and gazed steadily across the table at Edgar.

"The thing is, we know almost nothing about espers. When they attacked Vector, all the information about them was destroyed with the laboratory. We know absolutely nothing. And she's showing no outward signs of illness so we have no other leads." Edgar stated flatly. "So, what Sabin, Cyan and I have decided is to get everyone together and make a decision as to how we're going to handle the situation."

"Handle the situation?" Locke asked, surprised at the comment. His temper flared up for a moment as he looked across the table at Edgar. "What do you mean handle the situation? How do you know there is one? She's a big girl, Edgar. She can take care of herself. For Goddess' sake Edgar, she's raising children. I think she can handle whatever is happening to her. You have no right to pull her out of the town and 'look after' her. She's happy there and doesn't need or want, I'm sure, our help.

"You haven't seen her Locke," Edgar growled. "You haven't made any attempt to see her for the last two years, you don't know what we're talking about. If you had even bothered to make the trip in all your wanderings, you'd understand. You come to see Sabin, Gau and I in Figaro but you can't be bothered to drop in at Mobliz once in a while. I understand how far out of the way Terra is, but she at least deserves to see you."

"I was going to see her!" Locke said loudly, louder than he had intended. But, something in his chest had reared an ugly new head that his temper seemed to get along with. Edgar's accusations hurt in a way he'd never have imagined. "I wanted to see her, but then we built the house and things took off from there. I never thought to make the trip."

"That's just it, Locke!" Celes jumped in, her own voice raised a little, which was rare for her. "You didn't think! You've brushed her from your mind like dust out the door, and haven't bothered to even ask how she is." She looked at him, blue eyes blazing.

"Well, what am I supposed to do? Race off right now to see her?"

"Yes!" The two of them practically shouted. Locke leaned back, looking at them both in shock. How could they gang up on him like this? If something was seriously wrong with Terra, she would have sent him a letter, right? But, no, she wouldn't have, would she? Terra had an annoying habit of keeping things to herself.

"I can't," He said simply, "I just now decided to stay home for good, and I want to spend time with you, Celes. Plus, we need to winterize the house and besides, she would have sent me a letter if things were that bad. She's stubborn, yes, but not stupid."

"No, Locke." She said, her face torn. He hadn't told her he was going to stay for good, and she obviously didn't want to let him go. "She wouldn't have. You haven't spoken to her in two years. As far as she thinks, you've forgotten all about her, and she's just going to let you go. She's not going to bother you with letters about how she's doing, that's not her way." She leaned back, her voice quieting as she fixed him with a weak gaze, "And that is exactly why you're going." She propped her elbow on the table and laid her head in her hand, threading her fingers through her lustrous hair.

Locke thought for a moment, looking between Edger and the woman he loved. The were looking at him intently, Edgar looked ready to drag him out of there kicking and screaming, and Locke finally took a moment to get a good look at him. He was dressed in dusty traveling clothes and his face was still red from the wind of the road. There was dust around his hazel eyes and his long blonde hair was tangled and mussed despite being back in a ponytail. He looked as though he'd ridden in only an hour ago.

He cast a glance at Celes. She gazed back at him, her jaw set and stubborn, but her eyes were sad. There was color in her porcelain cheeks from her anger, but her lips held the pout of a torn heart. She wasn't going to let this one go, he could tell that instantly. He was going whether he liked it or not.

"Alright, when do we go." He conceded, looking to her.

"Oh no," She said dropping her arm to the table. "I'm not going with you Locke Cole."

"What?" He asked, eyes wide as he looked to her. "Why not?!"

"Because you need to spend time with her. Not time with me with Terra hanging about in the background. Which is exactly what you've done to her for years. And it's time it stopped. I'd love to go with you Locke, I love Terra more than you could ever understand. But this time, I can't see her. She'll just put on that smiling mask that she keeps around when there's more then one person about, and you'll never really see her for what she's become. Terra is fading away Locke, and I've no idea how much longer she has." Celes' eyes were locked onto his as she spoke, and for the first time in a very long time, she was bordering on crying. Celes did not cry, she just didn't. It had to be something massive for her to turn on the waterworks, so he could only imagine what was happening to Terra.

"Ok…" He whispered, reaching over to take Celes' slim hand, she gripped his hard, her fingers trembling in his grasp. Tearing his eyes away from his love, Locke cast his gaze to Edgar and nodded. "When do we leave?"

"Before dawn, it'll take us a few days to get there, two at the fastest. But I intend to get there in one and a half." He said, leaning back from the table, his anger quenched for the time being. He took another piece of ham from the forgotten plate on the table and tore it into strips, eat and rest well, Cole, we have quite the ride ahead of us."

--

**Five years, six months, one week, four days, three hours, forty-eight minutes since the death of Kefka.**

He stared at the ground as it rushed past, a very unhappy Anya running much faster than he desired, but she wasn't listening to him. And he could understand why. Up before dawn, saddle bags thrown over her back again and told to race through the town to pick up Edgar's chocobo in the stable before racing off down the road to the east. Locke wasn't too happy about it either.

Sure, he'd longed for the road through the mountains, but he hadn't wanted to follow it so soon. He wasn't ready to leave home on another trip just yet, and wasn't exactly in the best of moods. He hadn't spoken to Edgar in hours, and he had no intention of doing so until forced.

The sun had come up onto a cloudy and truly dismal day, a perfect match to his mood. It would rain before the afternoon and he wasn't looking forward to it. Tucking himself further into the hood of his traveling cloak, Locke shivered as an early fall wind shot through the heavy canvas and chilled him near to the bone. The change in the weather wasn't unusual for this time of year, but it had come at a rather poor point in time. Gripping Anya's reigns, he heaved back, hoping to slow her. She tossed her head in refusal and pressed on, legs pumping furiously as she continued to race along the hard packed ground.

"Damned chicken," He growled at her, "If you don't slow down you're going to hurt yourself, and then where will we be?"

Anya ignored him and kept running. Anya was just being stubborn with him, she'd slow down when she got tired. Chocobos had incredible stamina and could run for hours. She wasn't sprinting, however, so it would take another hour or so before she slowed. The great yellow bird gave a sharp whistle as the road turned to the south with a sharp curve around a grand and ancient oak tree that had somehow survived Kefka's cleansing fire. Edgar's chocobo, Tanner gave a whistle of his own, the sound less shrill.

"Locke!" He heard Edgar shout from behind him. "Locke, stop for a minute!"

The treasure hunter heaved on Anya's reigns again, this time pulling far to the left, dragging her great head along with them. She shrieked and slowed quickly, eventually stiffening out her knees and coming to a stop. She looked back at him as Edgar came up beside them. Locke leaned as far back from her sharp beak as possible, tugging at her head like that hurt her long neck and the last thing he needed was for her to bite him.

"Sorry angel eyes." He said gently, reaching down to rub at her left hip, "You wouldn't stop."

The hen blinked at him, the anger fading from her great sapphire eyes before she looked away, distracting herself with warbling back and forth with Tanner. Edgar sat up and stretched his back. They'd been hunched over the racing birds for hours and the muscles had cramped forever ago. Following his best friend's example, Locke stretched as well, laying back over the hen's hips and playing for a moment with one of her great tail plumes.

"What's wrong?" He questioned as he sat up. A deep rumble of thunder sounded off in the distance, drawing his attention to the skies. The clouds had darkened and were threatening downpour.

"That." Edgar stated after another roll of thunder. "There's a town not far ahead, we'll need to stop there until this passes."

"A town? Here? Last time I checked there was nothing out here but grass and hills."

"Things have changed Locke," Edgar said, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "There are towns popping up everywhere these days, most of them in the last place you'd expect." Edgar reached down into one of the saddlebags beneath him and rummaged for a moment, retrieving a map of the continent from within. He unrolled it and settled it across the pommel of his saddle. He leaned forward to get a better look at it in the failing light as Locke shifted Anya closer, the two chocobo clicking their beaks together in response. "There, all we have to do is turn west from here, the town is maybe an hours ride from here. And tomorrow, we turn south and make for Mobliz."

Locke stayed quiet as they set off again, the chocobos setting another running pace as the wind picked up. Lightning spread across the sky soon enough, only to be followed by the first drops of freezing rain. It began to pour not long thereafter, drenching them in mere minutes. Locke shrugged as far down into his heavy cloak as it would allow. He was lucky enough to have bought the thing when he saw it last year.

He was chilled to the bone by the time the lights of the tiny town came into view. It had taken them slightly longer than they'd expected as the ground had turned into shifting mud beneath their mount's feet in a matter of minutes. As they rode in through the main gate, a groom from the stable just inside raced to them and reached for the reigns without a single hesitation or word. Locke slid off Anya quickly and laid a hand on her side as the groom led her and Tanner into the heat and light of the stable.

Edgar dropped a few coins into the groom's hand before turning and motioning for Locke to follow him up the street to the inn. He followed quietly, his eyes focused on the muddy ground beneath his feet. He was soaked through and the mud was getting deep, the last thing he needed to fall on his face. He already didn't want to be on this trip, he didn't want it to get worse.

The light and heat of the inn was a welcome reprieve after the biting wind and sheets of rain. The innkeeper rose from behind his desk and came to them before they could even get completely though the door.

"Get in here before you catch your death," The older gentlemen said, brushing them inside before reaching behind them to yank the door shut, cutting out the howl of the wind. "Go ahead and get your cloaks off, we'll get hem hanging by the fire in just a moment, you two sit for a spell and catch your breath."

They found a small table near the hearth and slumped down into the simple wooden chairs. Though a fire roared beside them, Locke couldn't shake off the chill. His clothes were soaked and he'd have given anything to just turn around and go home. If something were so terribly wrong with Terra, she'd have sent them a letter by now. There was no sense in rushing out as though the hounds of hell were at their heels.

He leaned forward and folded his arms on the table, laying his head atop them, lost in his own thoughts. He couldn't imagine why no one had told him about this before. Didn't he deserve to know when something was wrong with one of his friends? The whole thing was leaving him with a pounding headache and a poor temper.

The soft click of a wooden bowl being placed before him brought him quickly out of his restless thoughts. Looking up, he found a middle-aged woman with a motherly look to her set a mug of this hot cider next to the bowl of stew she'd just put down. Edgar had already started in on him, spooning it quickly into his mouth in an attempt to stave off the chill.

"Get yourself to eating, young man." She said with a grin, "And once you're done, get yourself out of those clothes and settle in, this'll last all afternoon, you won't be going anywhere."

Locke did as he was told, greedily sipping down the cider and gulping down the potato and cheese stew. His bones were warmed soon enough and he settled back in the chair, his belly full and his eyes lazy.

"We left our bags with the chocobos." He stated simply, watching Edgar across the table as the king finished his mug of cider with a quiet gulp.

"No," He said, putting the earthen ware mug down. "The inn keeper sent a boy to fetch them for us not too long ago. We'll see them shortly. They've got a room ready for us." At that moment the door blew open and a young man slipped inside, their saddlebags draped over one shoulder. He yanked the door shut and turned to grin at them.

"There we go," Edgar said with a grin as he stood up. "Let's get changed and figure out our route.

--

They were changed and dry minutes later as Edgar spread the map out on the table in their room. The room was cozy, if not small and the small hearth did a good job of keeping it warm again the chill. Thunder crashed overhead continuously and the storm showed no signs of letting up.

Locke slumped down at the table as Edgar leaned over the map, tracing a route with his finger, his teeth worrying at his lower lip. He 'hmm'ed a few times and rubbed at his scruffy chin before shifting the map over so that Locke would see. He set a finger on the town they were in at the moment and the tiny mark far to the south that was Mobliz.

"It's a little over a hundred miles out from here. Compensating for road conditions, two and a half days maximum. And that's tentative.

The road should dry out by mid afternoon tomorrow which will make the going easier and faster. We can stop here," He said, pointing at a middle sized town the size of Kohlingen a few miles south of Mobliz. "About twenty miles south of here, the land turns to flat plains and low hills. The chocobo will probably need the rest once we get there." He took a seat across from Locke with a grin, crossing his legs as he leaned back.

Locke stared at his feet for a moment and picked at his clean trousers, unsure of what to say. It had been two years since he last saw her, and to be honest, she didn't cross his mind very often. He didn't know how to feel about the coming meeting. A part of him was happy, but there was another part, much bigger than the other, that was a ball of nerves the size of Figaro. His mind told him that there was no way she'd want to see him, not after he broke another promise to her. It seemed that that was all he'd ever given Terra, broken promises. Everything had changed when he'd met Celes. His mind had been a whirl of confusion and puppy love. Celes had been right when she said that he'd brushed Terra aside like dust out the door. He said he'd protect her, and he had, from a distance. It wasn't until he'd believed Celes had betrayed them that he'd truly spent time with Terra again, and now, all he'd done was flat out ignore her.

There was no other way to say it, he was miserable. He wanted nothing more than to turn back and forget this trip entirely. But, he had to admit, when they were traveling together, he'd always been close to Terra in a way he couldn't understand. Whenever something had been wrong with her, he didn't think something was wrong, he **knew** something was. When it came to the half-esper, he never thought, he always knew. From the first time she'd looked at him, back there on the floor of the cave, there had been a connection, a mental one. He was, after all, the first person she had ever truly looked at and seen. The slave crown had taken more from her than anything had ever taken from anyone. It had taken her mind.

"Does she ever talk about me?" He asked before he'd had a chance to even think about it.

"Terra? No. No, she doesn't." Edgar said after a heavy sigh. He focused his rich green eyes on the table and ran his fingers through his hair. It was longer now, and becoming more golden every year. He was the perfect picture of a young king until he opened his mouth around his friends. Edgar was a good man, if not a bit of a pervert, and Locke was grateful for his honesty. "She stopped asking after you didn't visit for six months. It seems like she's given up entirely. She doesn't expect to ever see you again. And the worst part is, she's come to terms with it." He sighed once again. "She once told me that she wanted nothing more than for you to live a long and happy life with the one you love. That had to be the last thing she ever said about you. But, now…You need to see her Locke."

"Sounds like she doesn't want to see me, so why bother?" Locke shrugged, looking away.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing." Edgar scoffed shaking his head with what could only be disgust. "What the hell has gotten into you? The way you talk about her, it's like she doesn't mean a damn thing to you. And I can't for the life of me figure out why. It's disgusting Cole. The life you've been leading lately is getting ridiculous and as your friend I'm going to tell you to knock it off. Celes tells me you're never home anymore, always out on the road like some vagabond with nowhere to go. I don't get it, Locke. You built the house and were all set to marry her, and then you vanished. Do you have any idea how that makes her appear? It's ruined both of your reputations, is that what you wanted?"

"I don't give a damn about my reputation. And Celes doesn't need me around to get a good reputation in the community. She's a damn good woman." Locke growled, his temper flaring at Edgar's scolding. "And why should you care whether I'm home or not, I have a right to be away from home."

"Not if there's another person involved, Locke. For goddess' sake, she's practically your wife already! Leaving her alone if the worst thing you can do. She doesn't deserve it. And why she keeps waiting for you, I've no clue, but it's driving me crazy. She's my friend too Locke, and that's why I care.

"I know she doesn't deserve it!" Locke growled, his voice raising a little louder than he generally liked. He dropped his tone and slumped back in his chair. "I'm not talking about this."

"Yes you are, I'm your friend, Cole, and I want to help. Is it something one of you did that's keeping you away? Was it a woman? Tell me."

"No, I could never do that to her. I love her so much it isn't funny. She's amazing, Figaro. She's probably the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. But, I just can't stay home, it's like I've been hit with some kind of incurable wanderlust. Every time I'm there, it's like my whole body is itching to leave again. And I can't scratch the itch unless I do. But this time, I was ok. I was going to stay and not leave again unless I had to. I was going to tell her that, but then you came and dragged me off without giving me a choice."

"You always had a choice, Locke. You had the choice to keep a friend or lose them, and you chose to try and keep them."

"No, I came because if I didn't, Celes would have kicked me out. I don't want to do this Edgar."

"And why the hell not?! What in goddess' name is so bad about going to see Terra? For once in your life will you stop being so bull-headed? I don't understand you, Cole."

"I don't want to go because there's no need. I swear, you all have got to be exaggerating. Terra is tough as steel, Edgar, I seriously doubt that she is as bad off as you are saying. If things were that bad, she'd have sent me a letter by now."

"And why would she?" Edgar asked flatly. "Have you not heard a thing I've said? She doesn't want to bother you, Cole. She's not talking to you because she thinks you two have parted ways. You broke a promise, Locke. What the hell else is she supposed to think?"

"She told you that?" Locke asked, eyes wide and voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, she told me, I had to squeeze it out of her, but she told me. And you know what's worse? She blew it off as though she expected it the whole time. How sick is that? To be honest, I'd rather you didn't see her at all. The last thing she needs is for you to make another empty promise to her. If I could, I'd do everything in my power to keep you from ever seeing you again. But, that's not fair to either you or her. And, I promised Sabin and Cyan I'd get you there. This is what a real promise looks like, Cole. You do what you say you're going to."

Locke stared at the floorboards, his face so hot he was sure he was blushing. He'd been scolded by Edgar before, but this was far more than he ever thought he'd get out of the man. He felt rather like a child, to be perfectly honest, and the worst of it was, Edgar was right. About everything. His stomach twisted itself in knots as though someone had dropped a hot coal within and just left it there to smolder.

"Look," Edgar began. "I can't even begin to understand your reasons for everything you've been doing lately, but I can tell you that it's sick, and I'm ready to wash my hands of you. But, being who I am, I do still have a shred of respect for you and will give you one more chance. You had better straighten out Locke Cole, or I'll be damned before I ever want to see you again."

Edgar rose from the table and shrugged back into his now much drier cloak. He swept out the door quickly letting it close behind him, a moment later he heard the main door of the inn open and close as he left, either to gather supplies or cool his head. Locke hunched over the table, folding his arms atop it. He gazed down at the forgotten map, his fingers resting over the tiny dot that was Mobliz. He raised a finger to rub at it for a moment as a sense of dread rose in his gut. What if he got there, and she refused to see him? It was a possibility he couldn't ignore. After two years, he wouldn't want to see him either.

Sitting up, he re-rolled the map and held it, focusing on it as though it would solve all this troubles in an instant. Rising from the table, he set the map with Edgar's bags and moved the one tiny window in their room. The clouds were still black and kept dumping rain in sheets. They'd made it to the inn before it had gotten worse, but now Edgar was out there wandering the streets in it. Locke rubbed at his face with both hands, hating himself all the while. He pulled the linen curtain across the glass as lightning streaked across the sky, the bit of cloth doing it's best to lessen it brightness. The oil lamps flicked placidly as he went to sit on the edge of what was to be his bed.

Exhausted from the lack of sleep the night before and from today's ride he laid back on the covers, waiting from Edgar to return. When he didn't return a half hour later, Locke put out the lamp beside his bed and slipped under the covers, He fell asleep long before Edgar returned.

---

**Five years, six months, one week, six days, ten hours, twenty-nine minutes since the death of Kefka.**

The large town of Anthem appeared on the horizon faster that Locke thought possible. Two days ago, the storm had vanished long before morning, allowing them an early pre-dawn start. But, as Edgar had predicted, the roads had been a terrible mess, leaving the chocobos to struggle through it. They'd had to dismount several times in order to lead the great birds through mud and marshy grassland several times, but they made it through with no further issues.

That afternoon they left the mud and mess behind them and took up a ground-eating pace that made up for the time lost. They'd camped out that night and took off early again, making a straight line for the newly popped up harbor town and jumped a ship that took them into another new town a good fifty miles south of Mobliz. From there, they turned north and set a good pace towards their destination. The plains had just rushed past them at that point and Locke easily lost himself in blank thoughts and halting conversations with Edgar over the rushing wind as their birds kept running. Despite himself, Locke was enjoying the trip. Once the rain had passed, it had left brilliant, clear skies and a cooling breeze behind it.

It was midday when they rode into Anthem, the cobbled streets packed with people shopping and eating in open-air cafes. Townspeople stopped to watch them as they rode in, their chocobos whistling at the sight of all the people. Anya skipped underneath Locke, as children shifted around her, pointing up at the bird in awe or her size. He grinned at their smiling faces and rubbed the back of Anya's head as she tip-toed around them, pushing some of them aside with her great beak. Anya was a people's bird, nothing excited her more than the sound of laughing child. So, she ate it up when the little ones giggled as she nudged them.

"You ham.." Locke chuckled at her once they made it through the crowd. He could understand though, it wasn't everyday that people got to see travelers come through, and especially not on chocobos, that had all changed when Kefka took over. They stopped in at the stable to rest the birds for an hour, brushing them down and getting them a good drink of water. Stayed with Anya and Tanner while Edgar went to fetch them some lunch before they took off again. He stood patiently with the two of them as they drank, stopping them now and again so they wouldn't drink too much and founder. Edgar returned quickly, a wrapped sandwich in each hand and a grin on his face.

"We can get going once we've eaten and stretched our legs a bit, we should be there before sundown." He handed Locke one of the sandwiches and took a big bite of his own. They weren't the best, but they did please the palate and filled their bellies nicely. "The man at the pub said that conditions are great for travel and Mobliz is only about ten miles away. Another half hour and we'll see the town."

Edgar was getting excited quickly. He'd always loved visiting Mobliz, the kids adored him and he loved to wrestle around with the older ones. But, his excitement was not infectious like it should have been. At Edgar's statement of how long it would take to get there, the bottom of Locke's stomach had dropped out and the knot of nerves returned. He hadn't thought about how close they were until just now, and still didn't know what to say when he saw Terra, if she let him see her that was. That hot coal returned to his stomach as he forced down bites of his sandwich and choked out the only thing he could think to say…

"That's great, can't wait to spend some decent time off these giant chickens." Anya warbled at him and knocked him on the top of the head with her beak, a sign of affection. Edgar chuckled as he ate up the rest of his sandwich and took a long drink of the drinking ladle a groom had presented him with. Locke took a drink after and watched for a moment as Edgar resettled his bags around Tanner's saddle and started to lead the great bird out of the stable.

"Come on you," He said to Locke over his shoulder, "Let's walk through the rest of the town and mount up on the other side."

Locke nodded and led Anya back out into the bright sunlight. It felt good just to use his own two legs for once, his muscles un-knotting quickly as he passed down the main street, Edgar at his side. Locke couldn't ignore the groups of young women that stopped to gossip about them as they walked. Edgar was eating up their stares greedily, his head held high despite his dusty riding leathers and mussed hair. Locke rubbed at his face for a moment as though it would wipe the road dust off before giving up. He was taken any way, there was no point in parading about. Besides, there was no way he could compare to Mr. blonde and gorgeous walking right next to him.

That didn't seem to matter however, as he'd gotten his own share of giggles and stares by the time they'd reached the south edge of Anthem. They mounted up quickly, and settled in before setting out at the steady pace till the reached the first of Anthems many farm fields, each full of fall vegetables and hay ready for harvesting. He watched the people out in the fields, raising sickles to mow down the fresh hay for drying as the chocobos began to pick up speed, ready to run the last leg of their journey. As they cleared the last of the farmland, Edgar veered off the clear road and struck out across the plain to the north.

"There is no road to Mobliz." Edgar shouted to him as he steered Tanner around a boulder. "It's not big enough to have one made so it's going to be rough land from here all out. I'm going to let Tanner sprint the rest of the way, see if you can keep up!"

With that said, Edgar ducked down behind Tanner's head and urged the bird to run. Tanner took off like a shot, racing along as though he were flying. Taking his lead, Locke nudged Anya in the sides, giving her the signal to run. She took off as well, whistling at the top of her lungs. The miles passed faster than he'd expected and soon enough the birds were in a dead sprint as the first tiny house appeared on the horizon. Anya trumpeted again at the sight and ducked her head against the wind, as she skipped around a large break in the land. It must have been left behind when Kefka had rocked the land when he took control all those years ago. It was a strange sight, but then Mobliz was hit hard when the floating continent fell, so it wasn't all that surprising. They crossed into the farmland first, the tiny fields filled with their own batch of hay a splash of gold amid all the green of the plains. On the far side of the village, he could see the thin line of glitter that marked the small river that lay nearby. They slowed as they got closer, the chocobos skipping underneath them, their run leaving them excited and ready for more. Locke looked up as someone shouted their approach to the town.

They passed into the shadow of the medium sized windmill just as the sun decided to begin the final stretch of it's fall to the horizon. He gazed up at the windmill atop its hill, its threadbare wings turning lazily in the late afternoon breeze. The gears groaned lazily at them as they passed, only slightly louder than the sound of the ocean not quite a mile away. He felt strange as they passed the first of the burned out houses left behind after Kekfa decided to try and burn up the land. After five years, he thought they'd have cleaned it up by now, but then, there was no one to live there. He shook his head as the hot coal in his belly roared to life again, ready to drive him insane as his heart began to pound along with it. Now that he was here, he wasn't sure that he could go through with this. What was he supposed to do, just walk in there like he'd never left at all? They'd roast him alive.

He started to sweat as the birds trotted into the village square, heads held high as the children came out to see what was going on. He estimated fifteen young heads, all staring up at him and Edgar. Several of them drifted over to Edgar, keeping an eye on Locke as they went to babble at Edgar as he dismounted. Edgar smiled at them, patting a few of the little ones once he got off. Locke slowly made his way to Edgar's side right as the blonde picked up a little boy no older than five and balanced him on his hip. It was a strange sight, Edgar with a kid, but Locke found it suiting. He was surprised to find that he didn't recognize the child at all when he came to stand beside his friend. He recognized most of them, once he got past how much they'd aged, but there were a few he didn't know.

"Edgar!" Called a voice over the mumblings of the children. A man in his early twenties pushed his way through the gaggle of children, his brown hair plastered to his head with sweat, his must have just come in from the fields. "I hadn't expected to see you so soon." The man said as he extended a hand to the king.

"Duane, Good to see you!" Edgar said as he shifted the little boy around a bit so he could shake Duane's hand. "It's early, I know, but I brought a friend. How's Katarin?"

"She's good, the cravings have started so we doubt we're going to lose this one." Duane replied with a grin, "Friend?" He asked as he shifted his gaze to Locke. Locke looked at him for a moment before giving him a slight nod and dropping his gaze to the dusty ground. "Holy mother of… Locke Cole. It's been forever!" At this Duane stepped forward with a smile and grabbed Locke's hand giving it a good hard shake. Surprised, Locke found himself grinning and returning the hearty shake to the best of his ability. Duane patted him hard on the back and chuckled. "You have got to meet our newest family members, they'll be in from the fields shortly to get supper going you're going to love them."

"New family members?" He questioned, looking to Edgar.

"Two families have moved here in the last three years, parents and children. They had nowhere else to go, so they stayed. Great people, all of them."

"Supper won't be too long off, I'll let Katarin know we have company. If you'll give me a moment…" Duane trailed off as he looked beyond the crowd of children, spotting who he was looking for, he raised a hand, "Jacoby! Jacoby, come here!"

A tall, lanky young man strode over then, his pitch black hair hanging unkempt into his rich green eyes. He was surprisingly pale for living in a farming community and he walked with the hunch of a typical teenager. He wiped his long hands on his tan trousers as he pushed through the kids, most of them barely rising to his stomach. He rolled up his white sleeves as he approached them, tossing a smile at Edgar as he came to stand beside Duane.

"Yes, sir?" He asked, his voice much deeper than Locke remembered. But then, everything about Jacoby was different from what Locke remembered. At sixteen, Jacoby was almost as tall as he was and with Locke at 6'2" that was saying something.

"Do you know where your mother is?" Duane asked him as he wiped at his forehead with a dirty handkerchief.

"Yes , Sir. She's in the garden."

"Again?" Edgar asked as he put the little boy down. "What's she doing there? Did we lose someone?"

"No sir, she's just been spending a lot of time there, says she enjoys the sun there at this hour."

"Please Jacoby, don't call me sir. You've known me too long." Jacoby just shrugged before fixing Locke with a cool gaze. Jacoby had really grown into a handsome young man, if not a slightly gloomy one, but then his complexion was the key factor in that.

"You're here," He said, his cold green eyes boring holes into Locke. If he didn't know any better, he could have sworn he'd just been shot with one of Edgar's auto crossbows. "That's a big surprise."

Locke had to fight to keep from cringing as the hot coal in his stomach gave a short blaze, his muscles clenching from the detest in Jacoby's voice. But then, the young man was justified. Jacoby was the only child who Terra specifically referred to as her son. She'd found him huddled away in a burned out house after her first few days in the village. He'd been starved and terrified and Terra said she'd had to physically drag him out of the house, taking hits from the panicked child all the while. Over time, Jacoby had become very protective of the woman he referred to as his mother. And at the moment, he was obviously unhappy to see Locke.

"Can you take them over? I'm going to let Katarin know we have guests." Jacoby nodded as Duane turned to the children and put his hands up to shoo them. "Come on kids, let's leave 'em alone. Emenda! Alan! Come help me get these two settled." Duane took the reigns of the chocobos and lead them off toward what could only be his and Katarin's house.

Jacoby watched Duane go before turning back to them he tossed a small smile at Edgar before motioning them to follow. They continued to the south and east of the village. They left the few houses behind quickly and started up the hill towards the windmill and the ocean. The hills proved to be steeper than Locke had expected and he found himself struggling to keep up, his legs week from both nerves and the long ride.

"Garden? Why is the garden so far away?" He asked as the ground leveled out a bit. At the top of the hill, the ocean came into view, a vast expanse of blood red as the sun began to go down. Though it was still far off, the ocean wind blew over him in a blast, the cool, salty air filling his lungs and refreshing him almost instantly.

"It's not that kind of garden," Edgar said surprisingly gently and lifted a hand to point one hill over where a tiny cemetery spread itself across a small hill. Even from here, Locke could tell that the gravestones were tiny and malformed as they'd been worked by tiny hands not yet able to properly work the tools.

Jacoby took off down the hill, his long legs carrying him easily down the steep rock face hidden underneath a thin layer of emerald rock-grass. From the side of the hill, Locke turned his gaze toward the cemetery itself. At the top of the hill, sitting amid a small patch of white grave flowers, sat a figure that could only be Terra. He only got a glimpse of her before he picked his way down the rest of the hill, into the deep depression between the two rises of earth. The strange shape of the land here had to be the work of Kefka's upheaval, there was no other way to explain it. They splashed through a small stream at the bottom before starting up the much less steep hill leading into the cemetery. Locke hung back at the entrance and let Edgar and Jacoby keep going a few paces before they noticed him. Locke must have had a look of nervousness on his face because Edgar turned to Jacoby and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Would you do me a favor and go back to the village?" He asked. "We need some time with your mother."

"It's bad isn't it?" Jacoby both asked and stated at the same time, dropping his gaze to the ground. "If you take her, I'm going too. She's my mother, she needs me to look after her."

"We're not taking her. If we ever need too, we'll drag you along kicking and screaming if we have to. It'll be alright." Edgar said gently, giving Jacoby's shoulder a good squeeze. "Get thee hence boy," He said with a grin, "We'll look after her."

Jacoby nodded and started back up the hill towards the village, tossing a glare at Locke as he passed by. He was not unhappy to watch the young man go, but the look he'd given Locke turned the hot coal in his stomach to a lump of ice.

"I can't do this, Edgar." The words dropped out of his mouth before he'd had the chance to think about them.

"What's wrong?" Edgar asked, coming to stand before him. "What happened between you two?"

"Nothing. Nothing happened and that's what's wrong." Locke admitted. "I've broken so many promises and ignored her so long that she probably doesn't want me around."

"Locke," Edgar began, putting his hands on Locke's shoulders and keeping him at arms length as though he were about to give a pep talk. "Stop it, Terra doesn't hate and she doesn't turn people away. That's not in her personality. I'm getting sick of this weepy thing you've been doing since we left and I'm ready to forgo my kingly manners and beat you half to death. Get it together Cole and just talk to her. Now, you wait here while I go see her, I'll call you when we're ready, I want this to be a surprise." He ginned then, though his voice remained gentle. Locke clasped his arm and Edgar drew away and started up the hill.

Locke shivered as the ocean wind swept through the little gully, howling through the rocks as it passed. He climbed up the hill a little ways to escape the chill and came to stand beside a tiny gravestone. As he looked at it, he was able to make out the word 'mommy' chiseled into it with a child's messy hand. Looking up, he was surprised to find that the hill was low enough for him to see them from here.

Terra was seated on the ground in the same spot he'd seen her in mere minutes before, sitting in a tiny patch of white grave flowers at the very top of the hill, a perfect view of the ocean spread out before her. She sat with her legs folded to the side, a long red skirt keeping her long legs out of the chill. Her hair was down, which was surprising for her, and Celes was right, it was much longer, were she standing it would have reached past her hips. Edgar stood over her a gentle smile curling his lips as he looked down at her. She seemed surprised to see him as she leaned back to look at him, her pale hands coming up to cover her slim shoulders. She wore a simple white shirt, settling just off the shoulder with a straight neckline. She tugged the long sleeves down over her pale hands as she sat there. She was a strange sight even from this distance, she never wore long skirts, she hated them as far as he knew, and her hair was a far cry from the length she'd deemed acceptable years before.

"I have a visitor for you," He heard Edgar say. Terra replied, but he could only hear the soft tone of her voice as a gust of wind covered it up. His heart began to pound much harder then. The rush of his blood began to roar in his ears, and he debated just walking away. At his point he was certain that they could both hear the painful percussion of his heart against his ribs. A dizziness crept up on him as he heard Edgar tell her it was a surprise.

"I'll be right back" He heard Edgar say as he approached, and Locke felt his face turn red just from the sheer bundle of nerves he'd become. Why was he so afraid? It was only Terra, but he couldn't get his heart under control and he'd begun to shiver underneath his heavy cloak. He couldn't take his eyes off of Edgar as he approached. Locke shook his head at him and looked at the ground.

"Come on," Edgar said as he put a hand on Locke's arm. "It's time, she's waiting. I haven't told her that it's you."

"I can't do it Edgar."

"Yes you can. Now get up there." The king squeezed his arm and led him up the hill. Locke got a face full of cooling wind as he crested the hill, the salt stinging his eyes for the briefest of moments. Terra had turned back to face the ocean while she waited, her hands folded in her lap. Locke tried to stop shivering as he came to stand about ten feet behind her, entirely uncertain of what to do. The lump of ice in his stomach faded as his stomach vanished completely leaving him with a hollow fear. 'What if she walked away?' was the only clear thought in his head as he stared at her back.

"Terra?" Edgar questioned as he let go of Locke's arm and took a step back. "I have something for you."

Terra cast a glance over her shoulder and unfolded her long legs, pushing herself to her feet. She was barefoot, which was surprising, she never went anywhere with out shoes. She turned to face him and raised a hand to brush the hair from her eyes, Locke stared in shock as she stared back, amethyst eyes wide at the sight of him, her lips parted as she looked him up and down, dead silence between them. Locke's knees quaked as he took in the sight of her. They hadn't lied. She'd lost an unimaginable amount of weight. There was naught but skin and bones to her frail frame. Her face was thin, almost gaunt, a mere ghost of the beauty he'd once known. She was still beautiful, that was unquestionable. But, at that moment, that single infinitesimal moment in time, she was the most amazing thing Locke Cole had ever seen. He choked for a moment, his voice caught in his throat as he looked at her, lost in the sheer sight of her.

"H-hi…" He managed to choke out. "I-i.."

He tried to say something, but she looked away then, curling her hands together atop her chest. She looked at the ground as the wind tossed her hair and skirt about, a writhing mass of green and red before a bloody evening sky. As far as Locke knew, his heart stopped completely. It just sat there, like a stone. It didn't even have the strength to break. Looking down, he stuck his hands into his pockets and said the only thing that came to mind, the truth.

"Yeah, I wouldn't want to talk to me either." He stumbled through the words and turned away. Edgar just stared at them in shock, his mouth working though no words came from within. He reached for Locke but pulled his hand back, his face a mask of uncertainty.

"You came…" Her voice was tiny, and he barely heard it above the roar of the ocean. Stopping he looked back at her in confusion, unable to come up with anything intelligent to say.

"Huh?" Was the only thing he could think to say.

"You came…" Her voice was slightly louder now, and he was able to make out the quaver in her tone.

"Y-yeah." His voice shook as he looked at her over his shoulder, he was facing Edgar who was standing to the side of them and didn't have the strength to turn to face her. "I'm sorry it's been so long between visits." He felt stupid. There was no apology he could give that would make this better. For the first time, he truly felt his broken promises as though they were a brand, burned into the skin of his face. His knees quaked beneath the weight of his guilt and the memories of the things he'd said and promised her flooded through his memory like a tidal wave.

_"I'll protect you..."_

"It's been two years between visits." She stated, still not looking at him, her hands clasped against her collarbone.

"I'm so sorry," He closed his eyes and dropped his head, choking on the words, they felt meek in ocean wind. "I-i.."

The sound of her feet on the grass made him look up, she crossed the ten feet between them in an instant, not walking, but running once more, just as she had two years ago. He barely caught her as she collapsed into his guilt numbed arms. Arms too frail for his liking locked around him as she pressed her face into his chest, her long fingers gripping at the back of his cloak tightly. All he could do was cling to her as her knees gave out. There was absolutely nothing to her, no real weight or anything. He laid a hand on the back of her head as he wrapped her in a grip he was certain would crush her. He fell to his knees, still clutching her, his mouth working and endless string of whispered apologies into her ear.

Though she was absolutely silent, he knew she was crying. No sobbing or sniffing at all, just an awareness of growing a wet spot on the front of his shirt. She shook like a leaf as he held her so he threw his heavy cloak about them, desperate to cut off those shivers. A puff of dust flew from the canvas as it came about Terra. He was filthy. Covered in the dust of the road that had turned muddy from his sweat and he definitely didn't smell very good at all. But she clung anyway, shifting so she could get her arms around his neck and press a kiss to his unshaven cheek.

"You're the only one who didn't come." She whispered to him, her eyes still leaking hot tears as she laid her cheek against his, despite the uncomfortable scruffiness. "Everyone but you."

"Goddess' name, I'm so sorry." He choked. Out of the corner of his eyes, he watched as Edgar stepped back slowly, a smirk of satisfaction on his face as he turned and made for the village. Locke couldn't thank him enough.

He pressed a kiss to the side of her neck before leaning back, letting go of her slowly. She lowered her arms and looked up at him, folding her pale hands in her lap, her red and puffy eyes still leaking tears. Smiling, Locke tugged off his gloves before raising a hand to brush the tears from her eyes, her pale cheek fitting perfectly in the palm of his hand.

"I'm s-sorry." She said, her voice quavering in the chill air. "I c-can't b-believe I'm c-crying."

"Shh..It's ok," Locke said gently, "You're allowed to once in a while."

She chuckled and sat back, rubbing at her eyes. As she did so, he couldn't understand what Edgar and Celes were talking about. There was no emptiness here, this was all Terra, every bit of it. She looked up at him again and offered him a meek smile. The chill in him vanished completely as she sat before him, offering up that pretty smile, her eyes dancing as the sun slipped quietly beneath the hills leaving them in near darkness. She leaned forward again, pressing her chilled face into his chest. Wrapping his arms around her once more, he unfolded his knees from beneath him and laid back on the grass, dragging her with him. She settled into his cloak with her head on his chest, her long fingers gripping at the front of his vest. As they lay like that, the chill of the world fled from his bones as the warmth that could only come from the half esper flooded his body, banishing the chill of the night.

He had no idea how long they laid there, her head on his chest, listening to his heart with closed eyes. He cradled her close with one arm behind her back, supporting her. He just stared up at those quickly brightening stars and listened to her breathe, the sound minute over the ocean wind. She sat up eventually and looked about them, raising a hand to comb her hair back from her face as the wind played with it. He watched as she breathed deep, her small chest rising and falling as though the action were a strain. Reaching up, he laid a hand on her stomach, his strong fingers wrapping around to her side. If he remembered correctly, she was ticklish there. He'd have to use that later.

She looked down at him and offered a frail smile, tilting her head to the side as she looked at him, the long sheet of her emerald hair falling over one slim shoulder. A soft half-smile curled his lips as he took his hand from her stomach and ran his fingers gently through her hair, begin careful not to tug on any tangles the wind was sure to have left in the soft strands. She raised a hand to his face, trailing the backs of her fingers down his cheek before sitting up entirely and facing back toward the slight glow that was the town. She braced herself up with her hands and stretched her legs about before her.

"I need to go back soon, or Jacoby will come to fetch me for supper." The moon began to rise over the ocean then, casting them in it's silvery light. She looked back at him as he propped himself up on an elbow and reached out to play with her hair again. It was strange to him that she didn't use scented soaps in her hair like Celes did. Celes always made a point of keeping her hair in the best condition it could be. She'd cut it to the middle of her back a little over a year ago and always kept it that length. She constantly smelled of the gardenia soaps she used and Locke had gotten so used to it, it surprised him to find that Terra used no such thing. She just used the coarse soaps Katrin made out of the roots that they could find in the nearby forest. But then, considering where and how Terra lived, it made sense.

"Would you like something to eat?" She asked as she pushed herself to her feet and stepped away. She offered him a hand up, which he took for no other reason than just for the sake of doing so and got up, just as Jacoby came up the hill, a cloak over his shoulders now to fight the night chill. Locke nodded to her in acceptance of her offer just as his stomach gave a loud grumble of protest.

"Jacoby," She said, turning to the young man with a gentle smile. "Do you remember Mr. Cole? He traveled with Edgar and I a few years ago." The boy nodded quietly in response as his mother continued "We have an addition to the dinner circle this evening. Have we enough?"

"Yes mother, but, we're not quite ready, but I came to let you know that Sir Edgar left." The boy said, brushing his hair from his eyes.

"He what?" Locke asked, surprise in his tone. "What do you mean?"

"He said that he'd been gone to long and left shortly after he returned to town. He asked that we look after you from the time being."

"That's alright," Terra said, cutting Locke off before he could say anything, she'd learned very early on when he was going to start ranting and how to stop it. "It's getting late and a chocobo ride in the dark is never very enjoyable. So, let's all get back to town and eat before Katrin comes after us with a pitchfork."

With that said, she bent and picked up a pair of simple flat shoes from their hiding place amid the grave flowers. As she slipped them on, Locke had never seen such a poor excuse for shoes. They were nothing but a few pieces of leather hide that he was certain that she'd be better off going barefoot. But he said nothing as she waved them ahead, a faint smile on her face, but as he reached back to take her hand, she'd cast a glance back at the rising moon. As he reached for her hand, she looked back at him, and he finally understood what they had meant when they said she was empty. The glassy gaze that she turned on him in that moment could have stopped Kefka in his tracks. There was nothing. No light, no warmth and barely a hint of life.

But she smiled then, and gripped his hand, her skin like porcelain in his strong grip. She shivered in the chill as they started down the hill, Jacoby already waiting for them at the bottom. She trailed her hands along a few of the gravestones as they passed, a faint smile on her face. He squeezed her hand again before they climbed back up the hill, and as they came into the view of the town's lights, Locke was glad Edgar had left.

---

End chapter. Please review.


	3. Rescue

**Authors note:** The rating has been raised due to violence, language and actions that will come later in the story.

The Moments Between Us

**Moment three:**

Rescue

**Five years, six months, two weeks, three days, 4 hours, fifty-six minutes since the death of Kefka.**

It was the scream that woke him up. He sat bolt upright on the sofa, the sunlight nearly blinding him as he came into a ray that had slipped in through a crack in the drapes. Groaning, Locke raised a hand to shield his eyes from the golden rays and looked about, trying to clear his eyes of the spots dancing before them

The little girl screamed again and Locke jumped up from his spot on the cushions, rocking back and forth for a moment fighting dizziness as he made his way to the front door, his bare feet slapping against the floorboards. Fearing the worst, he yanked the door open as the girl screamed again, though this time it was followed by laughter. Once again blinded as light spilled into the dark house, Locke moaned and retreated back into the doorway

"Jennia, stop shouting!" Valda barked across the square. "You'll wake the dead!"

Locke stood in the doorway dumbfounded as he watched a good sized group of the children run laps around the large fire pit in the center of the square, trying to get away from a few others, chasing them. It had been a long time since Locke had seen a game of tag, so it took him a minute to make sense of he was seeing. A smile tugged at his lips as he watched, chuckling as they tumbled about, wrestling with each other in an attempt to determine who was 'it'.

"Mr. Locke?" The voice was so small that he wouldn't have noticed it at all were it not for the tiny hand that reached up and tugged at his belt. Locking down, he found himself looking into the wide, doe-like eyes of Hope, Duane and Katrin's daughter. She fixed him with a child's unyielding stare as she shifted, tucking a tattered stuffed rabbit under one arm and sticking her fingers in her mouth. "Can I have some water? Mommy's inside and Mama's busy." Though she was well spoken, it too him a moment to understand her as she spoke around her fingers.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, come on." He said, startled that she'd ask him for anything. He turned and walked back into the house, the little girl following. The walk to the kitchenette was a short one, it was just across from the front door, taking up one corner of Terra's tiny house. She didn't cook in there often as most meals were made for the entire village, those were made either outside or in the gathering hall. After four days of being here, Locke had grown accustomed to rummaging his way around Terra's house, and found the little earthenware cups easily. Pulling out a small one, he wiped it out with a rag, just as he'd seen Terra do the day before and dipped it into the small water bucket Jacoby refilled every morning.

Turning, he handed Hope the cup, keeping a hand on it as she sipped greedily. Terra had said that Hope had slippery fingers and tended to drop everything, and the last thing he wanted was for her to drop it. When she finished, she swallowed had and pushed the cup back into his hand with a gap toothed grin. She rubbed her mouth on the sleeve of her tan dress and stuck her thumb back into her mouth, staring up at him as though she wanted something else.

"Uh, what's up, girly?" He asked, uncertain of what to do. He had no experience with children whatsoever and was afraid she'd ask some ridiculous question he couldn't answer. Maybe that was why he couldn't settle down and have a baby yet. He didn't understand children and was afraid he'd fail to be a good father. She grinned at him again, drawing her thumb out of her mouth.

"Did you just wake up, Mr. Locke?" She asked cheekily. " Mama makes us run laps or help her clean if we sleep in too much. You'd better not tell her."

A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth at the simplicity of her statement. At five the child was saying more than he would have thought possible, but then, he'd never really spent time around her. She seemed to be a smart kid, from what he'd seen of her, and she'd always been polite with him. He found himself liking her as he knelt there on the floor with her.

"Yeah, do you think we could keep it a secret?" He asked with a wink.

"You can try," She said, sticking her thumb in her mouth once again, "But Mama knows everything."

"Ah, well. You'll have to help me keep it won't you?" She nodded at him vigorously, her mousy brown curls bouncing about her shoulders like mad.

"You'd better put a shirt on before you come out to play, though." She said, pressing her cheek into her stuffed rabbit's head. "Or she'll know you've been sleeping."

Blinking, Locke looked down at himself. She was right, he'd jumped up too fast to grab his shirt before opening the door. Standing, he patted her on the head and returned to the sofa, digging his cotton shirt out from between the cushions. As he tugged it over his head, he looked down at the sofa. It was small and threadbare, but surprisingly comfortable. Jacoby said that all Terra's guests slept there when they stayed overnight, so they tried to keep it in good condition, but, the fabric had worn through in a few places and the stuffing was poking through. Locke just shrugged it off and made himself comfortable like Terra had told him to. He bent to pick up the blanket that had fallen to the floor when he got up. He folded it haphazardly and set it back on the cushions.

Hope came around the small coffee table as Locke turned away to find his boots, and scrambled up onto the sofa and cuddled up near the blanket with her rabbit, watching him, Retrieving his boots, he reached under the coffee table and pulled his saddlebags out from underneath, digging out a pair of heavy socks that Terra had washed the day before. She'd started doing his laundry for him without question. He'd just woken up to her gathering up his things, the first morning and returning them to him later, washed and aired. Hope kept watching him as he tugged the socks on before pushing his bags back under the table and retrieving his boots. Slipping them on, he got to his feet again, tying his bandanna about his forehead as he looked around. Terra and Jacoby had left the house at dawn, but had left all the drapes and windows shut to let him sleep. They'd left the front door open and the breeze was nice, but it was doing nothing for the rest of the house.

He gently drew the thin curtains back from the small windows and pushed the glass outward, just as he'd done the past few days. Mid-morning sunlight lazily found it's way into the small house, illuminating the threadbare and worn furniture. Locke sighed as he looked around. Terra's house was much smaller than the house he and Celes shared, but it was warmer somehow. There was a single small hearth in the wall across from the sofa, barely fifteen feet away. Terra's room was behind them, large enough for a small bed, and a dresser. Jacoby's room was to the left of Terra's, little more than a large closet, with just a bed and a drawer underneath for his clothes.

It was far too small for the two of them, let alone a guest, but Terra had found room to squeeze in a few small end tables, a few kitchen cabinets and a small standing loom. Three bolts of fresh fabric sat next to the loom, all set for Terra to start making clothes. Locke couldn't imagine having to make the fabric yourself, then sew the pieces together. He'd never seen Celes sew, and briefly wondered if she even could. He'd have to ask one of these days.

Turning back to the sofa, he found Hope sitting up, looking at him, her thumb stuck back in her mouth once more. Smiling, he motioned to her and made for the front door. She jumped down from her spot and jogged to him, reaching up to take his hand with slimy fingers as her other hand was busy holding her bunny. He cringed at the feel of the saliva but gripped her hand anyway as they stepped out into the sunlight.

A light breeze drifted through the tiny village, carrying with it the soft smell of the meadows just outside the boundaries. She tugged him along, her little shoes kicking up the light dust of the square, leaving the door open behind them just as everyone else did to air out their houses in the morning. He followed Hope quietly as she led him to the far side of the square where Valda and Marian, the two new ladies that had moved to the village, were just cleaning up after gutting and skinning the fish brought in from the nets that very morning.

Valda turned to look at them as they approached, her green eyes gleaming with amusement at the sight of little Hope dragging him along. She was a small woman, barely standing up to Locke's shoulder, but she had a big personality.

"I see you've found a friend," She laughed as she wiped her hands on a small towel. "Be careful Hope, you don't want to rip his arm off."

Hope stopped to look up at Valda, a smile on her little face as she let go of Locke's hand and lung to his leg. Locke shifted in an attempt to keep his balance as the little girl settled her full weight against him. He looked down at her before looking to Valda, uncertain of what to do. At the hopeless look on his face, Valda laughed again, tossing her long black ponytail back over her shoulder. She set her handmade towel down on the now clean gutting table and reached for Hope. Hope shook her head and clung even more to his leg.

"Sorry, Locke." She said, her rich voice like velvet in the quickly warming air. "She's got you and you're not getting away."

"You can't be serious." He said incredulously as Hope plopped down in the dust and buried her face in his knee.

"I'm afraid so," Valda replied, a broad smile gracing her lovely, narrow face as she folded her arms across her chest, looking at him. "She wants you because you're staying with Terra. And since both Terra and Jacoby are gone for the moment, you're the next best thing. She does this to all of Terra's friends if Terra leaves."

"Oh, really." Was all he could say as Hope chose that moment to rub her nose into the back of his knee, finding a ticklish spot.

"Yes, she's been hanging all over Terra since her mother got pregnant. Hope isn't allowed in the house while Katrin rests, which is most of the day unfortunately. The poor thing is going crazy, stuck there inside. But the sun's been getting to her lately and it doesn't take much to make her swoon." Valda said with a sigh as she reached down to grab Hope's arm and detach her from Locke's leg despite the little girl's protests. She lifted the girl into her arms and settled Hope on her hip, leaning to the side to balance out the weight. Hope screwed up her face and looked as though she were about to start screaming, but decided against it and settled her head into the crook of Valda's neck.

"After we lost the last one, Katrin's been terrified of getting pregnant again." Valda continued with a sigh. "But, surprise, surprise for her. Four months pregnant and sick as a dog." She laughed again, gently bouncing Hope on her hip. "So, she's been spending her time making fabric, which is another reason little Hope isn't inside."

Locke nodded to her as Marian approached, her face grim as it always was when she saw him. Marian unnerved Locke, there was an underlying sense of menace within her that kept him on guard. But then, Marian didn't have it out for him personally; she had it out for all men. She'd been severely beaten by her husband before she came here; the scars on her arms and lovely face were proof of that. Valda had told him that she'd killed the man after he'd decided to go after her daughter Amaria one evening, beat him to death with a table leg. She'd grabbed the children and ran that very night before the authorities made it to the scene.

Marian tossed a look at Valda as she approached, a faint smile curling her lips as she stopped beside them, her eyes falling to Locke. She looked him up and down, the one brown eye that peeked out from behind her rich cascade of chocolate hair held nothing but detest for him. It annoyed him that she wouldn't even give him a chance, but Valda had said that it would go away soon. Once she watched him interact with the children and other adults more, she'd open up. He'd seen Marian with the others, and she wasn't mean at all. She seemed to be a fun-loving and brilliant young woman of thirty, married off to early in her life. However, as she looked at him, it was hard to believe.

"Katrin has asked for you." She said, her voice soft despite her anger at having to speak to him. "She'd like for you to meet her inside. She's not feeling well."

Locke blinked at her, surprised that Katrin would have asked for him of all people. He nodded briefly and looked over at Duane and Katrin's home. She'd be home alone right now, Duane having left for the fields early that morning. He looked over Marian's shoulder at Valda, who nodded silently. She'd keep Hope occupied while he visited with Katrin. Thinking it best not to keep the pregnant woman waiting, Locke muttered a 'thank you' to Marian and strode away, feeling her eyes on his back like a brand.

He stepped up onto the wood porch that ran along the front of Katrin's house, the planks creaking beneath his heavy boots. The door was shut despite the cooling breeze so he raised a hand to knock. From within came the affirmative to enter, so he took hold of the latch and stepped inside. He'd never actually been inside Duane and Katrin's home, so he wasn't sure what to expect. The house was dark, the curtains and shutters drawn across the windows to keep out the light. Though he couldn't see very much, there was a feeling of vastness to the house. They had the largest in the community simply because it was Katrin's family home and they'd been living there since the floating continent had fallen. It was kept in the best condition possible as this was the only building that they could fit the whole village into in the event of an emergency, that, and the meeting hall was attached to it. The orphaned children lived downstairs in the basement they'd been hiding in before they'd had a chance to repair the houses above. There had originally only been a handful of children, but over the years, they'd acquired more and more, creating a veritable orphanage here in Mobliz. They were lucky they could bring in enough food and cotton to keep them all so well fed and cared for.

"I'm in here." Came Katrin's light call from a room to his left. He shifted about on the mat to clean the dust off his boots before quietly moving into the room, which proved to be a sewing room of sorts. The young woman sat on the far side of the room beside the only open window in the house. She sat off to the side of it however as the sunlight spilled in to the room in a golden sheet. There was a medium sized table before her, her skilled hands working at a far out of date cotton gin. Two large baskets sat at her feet, one slowly filling with clean cotton, the other slowly emptying of dirty. She worked meticulously, her slim hand working the crank of the gin while the other eased the cotton through.

"Forgive me for not standing. I haven't been sleeping very well lately." She said, her light voice full of amusement at her unfortunate predicament. "I don't get it," she continued. "I wasn't this sick when I was pregnant with Hope."

"Do you know why it's happening?" He asked as she eased the last bit of cotton out of the gin and let go of the crank. She turned to look at him, blue eyes gleaming as she smiled.

"I wish I did. Terra and Valda both think it's because it's a boy." She laughed. "But my mother once told me it was the reverse. Girls made you sick and boys made you eat. Who knows. But, that's not why I asked for you."

"Is everything alright?"

"With me, yes. It's Terra I'm worried about." She said, motioning him to take a seat on the stool across from her. He sat quickly, hooking the heels of his boots on the bottom rung of the stool. She put a hand over her growing belly and took a sip from a cup of water beside her on the table. "Did Edgar tell you anything about what's happening to her?

"Yes," Locke replied. "He said she'd lost a lot of weight and seemed distant. He was right."

"Then he didn't tell you all of it, he may not have known." She gazed at him steadily from her spot in the shadow of the drapes. "There's more to it. Lately things have been changing in her. You've seen the cough; she had a fit just yesterday. They're getting more frequent now."

Locke nodded again. He had seen the cough Katrin was talking about. Terra had been out helping Valda and Marian with the children's laundry when she had suddenly succumbed to a fit of coughing one only saw in the elderly. It was a horrible sound, the sheer force leaving her gagging and wheezing. She'd collapsed, unable to breathe as the coughing wouldn't stop for more than a minute. Jacoby had carried her inside while Valda rushed to grab water for her. He's just stood there staring, unable to take in the scene that had played out. He'd never seen Terra collapse outside of battle before, she just didn't do it, she was too strong.

"How frequent?" He asked, wondering where Katrin was going with this.

"Once or twice a week now. She's so afraid to eat because of them, that she just picks at her food rather than really eating it. They hit her so badly she just can't keep anything in her stomach. Poor thing." She sighed. "Then there's that strange…oh, I don't know what to call it. One minute she'll be just fine but the next she takes this breath, this great shaking breath that she can't exhale. It's like she's choking on air, Locke. When she can finally let it go, she starts coughing again. Duane and Jacoby caught her once as it happened. They said that it felt like something else was trying to breathe using her lungs. It's frightening us, Locke. We don't know what to do." She sighed again and rubbed at the side of her belly, pushing inward through her skin at a cramp in her side. "And she just keeps losing weight, but her strength never seems to wane. But what's really bothering us is she keeps disappearing at sunrise and sunset, usually to the garden. And when she comes back, she's got that empty look in her eyes. I swear, it's so unnerving I'm almost afraid of her. And even when she's here rather than there, there's hollowness to her words and her skin is always cold, like she's just come in from the snow. I don't get it Locke, what's wrong with our Terra? I want her back."

"I'm right there with you." He said, "Something is very wrong with her. Has she said anything?"

"No, in fact she refuses to talk about it whatsoever. She says she's just fine and asks us to stop worrying about her. Every morning I'm terrified that Jacoby is going to run into the house and tell us she's died in the night." She sniffed. "I just can't take it anymore. Terra said she'd be here to deliver the baby, I can't do it without her."

Locke stared at the floorboards, unsure of what to say. Katrin would give birth with or without Terra, but that didn't make it any easier to cope. He rubbed at his face for a minute before looking out the window at the wide blue expanse of sky. He didn't know what to do. Edgar wanted to take Terra out of here and get her to a doctor and keep her closer in the event of an emergency, but it just wasn't fair to Terra. She was happy here, and the illness might worsen were she removed.

"I wish I knew what to do to help, Katrin. But the only answer would break her heart. Edgar wants to move her closer to Figaro in case her health declines further." He said, looking to her. "But, I'm afraid that if we took her away from the children, she would get worse."

"I have to agree," She said, taking another tiny sip of water. "I hate to say it, but waiting and watching is the only thing we can do at this point. Edgar came to me and said he wanted to take her home with him. But I wouldn't let him ask her. Duane almost threw him out of town." She laughed, the sound a welcome sound in the dark and quiet house. "Well, at least you know now. She and Jacoby should be home soon. They went south to the orchards early this morning and it's almost midday now."

"Just one thing," Locke said as she turned to look out the window. "Why have you told me these things and not Edgar?" She looked at him then, studying him as though he should have known the answer.

"Because you're one of the rare ones." She said. "There are only two of you who have stayed more than two days. Neither of you show signs of leaving when you're here. It's like you want to stay. But, in order for me to allow that, you'll have to earn your welcome to live here. You'll have to prove to us that you deserve to live here. Terra will say yes in an instant, simply because she trusts you, for what reason I'm not quite sure yet. But the rest of us aren't blinded by the light of a deep friendship, we'll need to see you want it."

"Stay? I can't…Wait..why shouldn't she trust me?" He asked, taken aback by her bluntness.

"Because you've promised her a thousand things, and haven't kept a one of them." She said. "Visiting her now is all well and good. But two years of silence is downright cruel. Yes, life happens. We grow, we change, I understand that. But, we should never move beyond those that are our true friends. I wonder Locke, did you ever consider her a true friend? How much do you know about her? While you were gone, did you even think about her? I don't expect answers, but you just need to know that we are watching you. Prove to us that Terra means something to you. And for your sake, I hope she does. She's the world to us, Locke Cole. I don't expect her to mean the world to you, not with Celes on your arm. Beauty blinds men, leaving most of them blind to others. But without Celes here, do you think you can see the beauty in Terra? She may have lost shapely figure to her illness and she may be pale as death, but can you see the beauty? I want to know. I don't want to know now, there is no way for you to know now. But the moment I deem you ready, I will ask you and you better answer me."

He stared at her, dumbfounded. The woman wasn't even twenty-one yet and she was scolding him as though she were his mother. And the worst thing was, he was honestly afraid of her. He sat back on the stool, gazing at her. It took him a moment to realize that his respect for her and increased exponentially simply for giving him a good sized piece of her mind. He nodded after a moment, muttering an affirmation to her. She sat back and smiled at him, one hand across her belly as she crossed her legs beneath the desk.

"I sense an honest man in you, Locke." She said gently. "You just have to let him out, and there is no better place than here to do so."

--

Terra heaved the basket up onto her hip, balancing it as best she could as Jacoby lifted a second basket and settled it atop the first. He lashed them together with leather straps before stepping away to pick up a basket of his own, this one with straps so it could be worn as a backpack. She watched as he bent and picked up two smaller baskets of his own before nodding, a faint smile curling her lips.

"Come on, you." She said to him. "We've been gone long enough."

He nodded to her as she shifted, trying to settle her own backpack basket before turning to look one last time at the trees around them. 'Orchards' was a bit of a exaggeration, as these trees were not planted by human hands. They had simply grown there on their own after the fall of Kefka. When his Light of Judgment has burned through the first layer of earth, the ashes had settled and crept back into the new topsoil, making it more fertile, perfect for fruit trees. The small grove had sprouted not only apples, but plums and cherries as well, perfect for pies and dried snacks.

Since the Light of Judgment had passed by, the entire area around Mobliz had sprouted various plants that one would not expect to find so near to the ocean. For instance, their cotton field was a natural addition that had grown in during her first year with the children. Once they'd gathered enough money to by a cotton gin and a few looms, they were able to figure out how to make their own clothing.

It was strange, she thought as they started the mile walk back to the village, strange that Kefka's devastation had done them so much good in the long run, with the addition of the windmill, they'd become completely self sufficient. Unless they had need of something special, Terra never had to make the long walk to Anthem. It was a blessing she was all too pleased to count.

"Thinking?" Jacoby asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Yes, always, my love." She said, smiling at him.

"About what?" He inquired, tossing his head in an attempt to get his hair out of his eyes. She smirked at him as he tried to blow at it. It was getting to be much longer than he was used to, and he would have to tie it back soon.

"Thinking I should cut your hair. You look like a mop."

"I think I look like an opera star." He said cheekily, throwing her a cheesey grin. Terra laughed and shifted closer to him, bumping him with her hip. Jacoby laughed and skipped away, keeping a tight grip on his baskets. "Hey! Watch it, you'll make me drop everything."

"You might do that anyway. You're as clutzy as I am." She said, sticking her tongue out at him. He returned the gesture, screwing up his face behind the dark curtain of his hair. She laughed, though she was grateful his hands were full, otherwise he'd be using his fingers to contort his face at her.

"Do you want me to cut it for you? Or are you wanting it long?" She asked after a moment.

"I was thinking of growing it out, like Edgar's." He said, a thoughtful look coming over his face. "I think it would look good on me. And if it doesn't then I can cut it off."

She nodded at his reasoning. He would look good with long hair, but he still needed to get the choppy ends trimmed up. Growing it out or not, she would not allow her son to walk around looking like the business end of a floor mop. She'd talk him into it later, she just didn't have the energy at the moment. She just needed to stay focused on walking and then she could go sit for a few minutes while she cleaned the fruit and set it out to dry for the winter.

This had been happening to her a lot lately, this sudden lack of energy. Perhaps it was because she just wasn't getting enough restful sleep, or maybe Katrin was right in saying that she didn't eat enough. Well, to be honest, Terra knew for a fact that she wasn't eating enough. It was that damn cough she kept getting. She kept passing it off as allergies, but, as far back as she could remember, which wasn't very far, she'd never been allergic to anything. Shaking her head, she blew it off. It wasn't important. What was important was getting these baskets home and fast, the day was heating up and she didn't want to be caught out in the heat with her cloak on while she carried the baskets.

"Mother?" Jacoby's voice cut through her thoughts like a knife. She looked at him, cringing inwardly at the worry in his crystalline green eyes. "Mother, are you alright?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"Because you haven't heard a thing I've said." Jacoby stated, shifting the baskets in his arms. Terra blushed and looked down at her baskets, eyeing the brilliant red apples within.

"I'm sorry, Jacoby. I was thinking again." She admitted, returning her gaze to him.

"You've been doing that a lot lately," He said, slowing down. "Is everything alright?"

She turned back to face him as he stopped entirely, a few feet behind her, his handsome face a mess of worry for her. Terra's heart sunk in her chest, as she watched him for a moment. She offered him a small nod as a breeze picked up her long ponytail and tossed it around beside her, the green strands fanning out like feathers.

"Jacoby..." She sighed, feeling awful. "I'm just fine."

"You don't look fine, Mother." He replied, his face gaunt in the sunlight. "You've lost too much weight and you've gotten so quiet. It's not like you."

"You're right, Jacoby." She sighed, dropping her gaze. "It's not like me. It's this damn allergy, no matter what I do it just keeps coming back. I'd rather not eat than cough my guts up all over someone every time I get an allergy attack."

"It's not an allergy, Mother!" Jacoby shouted at her, squeezing his eyes shut in regret at his outburst. "You're sick and you won't let us help you. Why not?"

Terra stood there, blinking at him in the sunlight, entirely taken by surprise by his statement. It wasn't like him to suddenly burst out with such a thing. Painting a smile on her pale face, she stepped toward him, nudging him with her hip again.

"Jacoby," She started, "I'm not sick. I'm…"

She stopped suddenly, the face in the tall grass startling her more than the outburst. She was lucky to have spotted it otherwise there was no way they'd have survived the attack. She bent slowly, her eyes on the gleaming eyes barely visible through the wall of golden stalks, setting her baskets down. Jacoby stared at her in confusion as she reached up to begin unclasping her shoulder basket.

"Jacoby, put your baskets down, slowly, all of them. Stay quiet." She said gently, reaching beneath her cloak to put a hand on the short sword she kept when she left the village. It was a little thing, old and needing a new hilt. She didn't even know if it was sharp. But in a matter of moments, she would. Seeing the look on her face, Jacoby did as he was told, the color draining from his face as he saw her each for the blade.

"On my mark I want you to run home, as fast as you can. No matter what you hear, don't stop and don't look back. Just get there and call for help. They'll probably hear you before they even see you." He nodded at her as she stepped away from the pile of baskets, his hands flexing at his sides.

It was stalking them, who knew for how long though. She couldn't tell the size of it, or even what it was as it scuttled along on its belly through the tall grasses. It must have followed them through the field of grass since before they left the orchard, just waiting for the right moment.

"Jacoby, now." She said. "Go, now."

Jacoby took off like a shot, his long legs carrying him easily across the uneven turf. As he moved, the creature took the chance to leap out from its hiding place with an earsplitting shriek. Terra ripped her sword from its scabbard as the great lizard launched itself after her son. Shouting something unintelligible, she raced for it, trying to cut it off from him before it got too far out of the tall grass. It reared and shrieked again, its dirty brown scales shimmering in the brilliant sunlight.

She took a wild swing at it, just trying to force it back, trying to keep it on the defensive. It reared again, hissing at her as it backed away from the gleaming short sword, thrown off by the bright metal. She backed away as it brought its feet back down, kicking up dust that the wind whipped into her eyes. Crying out, she backed off, rubbing at her burning eyes. It took that moment to dive at her, raising its tail to lash her across the stomach, throwing her back a few feet. She screamed as she hit the ground, her stomach a ablaze with pain, jarred joints crying out in unison to it's agony. She struggled for a moment to throw off her cloak. She yanked it off just in time to watch as it whipped around, it's large jaws coming up to snap at her. She rolled back just in time, barely missing being caught up in it's gnashing teeth.

It's foul breath washed over her, turning her already aching stomach as she scuttled across the uneven ground, desperately seeking the right moment to leap to her feet. She'd lost her sword when it had thrown her, and she couldn't spare the moment to look for it with the reptile so close to her. Thinking quickly, she opened her mouth and roared at it, raising a fist and taking a wild swing at its snout. Startled by the sudden movement of its much smaller prey, the creature leapt back, shrieking at her. It raised a great clawed foot to beat her back, but she ducked in underneath it and barreled straight into its neck, shouldering it as hard as she could in the windpipe.

The lizard gagged and backed off, hissing and gnashing it's teeth. When it regained its breath it lunged for her again, jaws snapping. But, Terra was ready this time, she dove around the snapping jaws and raced down the length of its body. Ten feet from nose to hindquarters, it had to be, with an extra six for the tail. She ducked under the lashing tail as the beast turned around, trying to find her. The moment of confusion gave her the chance to look for her sword, she found it almost immediately, laying naught five feet from where she was standing. She lunged for it as the beast shrieked in anger and lashed out with its tail again. The very tip of its tail whipped across her back, lashing open her shirt and the skin beneath. She screamed at the searing pain, her senses flooded with the feeling of her flesh tearing. Her fingers curled around the hilt of the sword before she'd gotten passed the initial shock of the pain. Whirling, she raised her sword as the lizard appeared over her, raising a clawed foot to swipe at her. With a growl, she threw herself upward, trying to force the blade through the skin of its foot.

The lizard shrieked as warm blood washed over her hand in a cascade. As the beast reared, she tugged down on the now slippery hilt of the short sword. It retreated back a few steps, it's foot dripping blood. Terra cast a momentary glance at herself, From the amount of blood, she must have cut deep. Throwing her gaze to it again, she roared and gave chase.

--

Locke was still chatting with Katrin when he heard the first shout. He looked out the window, thinking it was one of the children, but they were all on the opposite side of the village, tending to their little garden. Marian raced out of her little house to meet Jacoby as he sprinted into the village, shouting something he couldn't make out.

"Jacoby?" Katrin asked, jumping to her feet. "Wait…where's Terra?"

Locke was out the door without a moment's thought. The look on Jacoby's face as he stumbled over to Marian was enough to get his blood rushing. The young man suddenly dove past Marian, racing for his home, limping slightly as though he'd injured himself running. Locke raced up the hill to the house in time to see Jacoby kick Terra's bed over and rummage around underneath it.

"Jacoby!" He cried watching the man throw blankets and things hidden beneath her mattress. "Jacoby, what the hell is going on?!"

"It's mother!" He shouted back, heaving something out from underneath a folded blanket. The sheath of the Ragnarok shone brilliant red and gold in the light slipping in through the tiny window in her room. The jeweled hilt shone with the fire of the thousand tiny facets cut within the stones as Jacoby turned and made to rush past Locke. "We were attacked in the field! It's a plains dragon!"

Locke stopped Jacoby by throwing his arm over the young man's chest. The Ragnarok was no toy and he wasn't about to let the kid run off with it. Jacoby tried to heave past him, pressing a shoulder into Locke's chest, his adrenaline strength managed to push Locke back a few steps, but years of fighting kept the treasure hunter strong.

"Let me go!" Jacoby shouted at him. "She stayed to fight it with only a rusty short sword!"

Locke's blood ran cold as Jacoby pushed past him, racing for the door and the edge of the village. Locke gave chase after pausing a moment to rummage through his bags for a weapon, catching up quickly. Raising an arm, he knocked Jacoby to the ground. The sixteen-year-old's panic was more likely to get Terra hurt than save her. Reaching down he grabbed the Ragnarok up from Jacoby's shaking hands. A loud whistle behind him made him turn. Anya sailed across the square towards him, Marian drifting away from the small stable, a determined look on her face as she nodded to him.

"I've told the men there's trouble." She called. "I'll explain and send them after you. Get your ass out there!"

Locke nodded to her and heaved himself up onto Anya's bare back. He had less then a second to tuck the sword between him and the bird before she trumpeted and raced out of the village, full tilt. Locke hung on for dear life as she broke into a sprint just beyond the village lines. Wind howled in his ears as he gripped the lower portion of her neck. Marian must have said something to Anya to get the bird to race to the rescue like this. He was absolutely certain that the chocobo would start speaking to him in common one day. She was too damned smart.

Barely a minute later, the howl of the wind was drowned out by a roar that shook his bones. Judging by the frustration in the sound, Terra was still alive and somehow pissing the monster off. Anya shrieked at the great brown lizard as they approached, her large clawed feet kicking up dust as she picked up speed. They were on top of the creature before Locke had a chance to think of a plan of attack. Anya cried out again and Locke only had a second to realize what she was going to do. He tightened his grip right as Anya leapt, her hooked beak poised for the attack. Locked clutched at the Ragnarok and threw himself off the chocobo's back as her clawed feet dug into the lizard's scaly hide. She opened her beak and hooked it into the skin of the lizard's shoulder and kicked at it with her feet. Its hide tore open beneath the assault spilling hot blood onto the dry soil.

With the Plains Dragon distracted, Locke desperately searched the surrounding area for Terra. She was getting to her feet not too far from him, trying to wipe blood from her hands on her pants before giving up and searching for her sword.

"Terra!" He called to her, shouting over the roar of the lizard and the cries of the bird. Terra whirled to face him, and he gaped at her for a moment. She was covered in blood, whether it was hers or the creatures, he couldn't tell. Straightening up, he raised the Ragnarok over his head, the sunlight catching in the precious gems and metals, setting it ablaze with color. "Here!" He shouted and hurled the sword in her direction. She dove for it, hand outstretched. She caught it surprisingly easily, wrapping her long fingers about the hilt before ripping it out of its sheath.

Silver fire blazed across the landscape as the holy metal caught the sun and reflected the light a thousand times over, blinding him for the barest of moments. Though he'd seen this spectacle countless times before, it always left him in awe. Terra would have made a perfect heavenly knight, her long emerald hair streaming behind her, the color as bright as the gems in the swords lustrous hilt. She was both beautiful and deadly, like the angels of heaven.

Anya screeched in pain and leapt back from the now crazed monster, her wing bleeding profusely from a nasty bite wound. The lizard roared and turned to chase after her, the side of it's face and shoulder a mess of torn flesh and exposed bone. His boomerang was in the air in an instant, it's razor edges gleaming in the light before it hooked around opening a great gaping tear in the unmarked flesh of the beast's face. He barely caught it as the creature reared, shrieking. Locke raced forward, trying to put himself in between The Plains Dragon and Anya ready to defend her with his life. The chocobo warbled in pain as Locke heaved the boomerang once again. It cut into the creature's right eye, slicing into the cornea before rocketing away. The lizard shrieked again and reared as it's eye dissolved out of its socket, exposing the bone beneath.

With a cry that Locke could only compare to her espers roar, Terra threw herself forward, raising the blessed Ragnarok over her head before bringing it down on the thrashing tail. The blade cleanly cleaved the flesh as though it were butter beneath a hot knife, successfully cutting it most of the way off. She raised the sword again and repeated her downward swing, slicing through the last of the flesh, muscle and bone leaving the beast writhing and screaming. Terra dove around the beast, bringing herself closer to Locke in an attempt to create a better wall between the lizard and the chocobo.

"Watch your back!" She shouted to him over the cries of the beast. "You don't have armor on!"

"Speak for yourself!" He called back as he hurled the boomerang again and drew his dagger. Racing forward and away from her, Locke rushed the monster, his dagger poised in defense as he shot under the thrashing animal, searching it for anything of value. He came out from beneath it a moment later, a stolen potion in hand as he raised his dagger to the underbelly of the animal and thrust upwards, keeping his hand on it as he ran. The razor sharp edge carved a neat cut along the lizard's stomach, the cut veins spilling hot blood onto his arms and neck before he could get completely out from beneath it.

Mad with pain, the beast rushed blindly at Terra, head thrashing as it's one eye searched for her. It snapped at her as it drew closer, trying desperately to catch her up in its jaws. She jumped away from its bite only to be knocked aside by its raised claw. Terra screamed as it pinned her, using its weight to press her into the ground. She screamed in agony as the claws flexed around her, tearing holes in her sides. The raving monster lowered its head, its great jaws opening as it prepared to rip into her.

Roaring, Locke ran at the beast, throwing himself bodily at it in an attempt to distract it. He shouldered it hard in the throat, gagging it. It's teeth missed Terra by inches as the force of Locke's combined momentum and body weight knocked it aside. It stepped off Terra, throwing it's head about, searching for him with it's remaining eye. He backed away, dagger held out before him, blade parallel to his arm. He rushed it again, slashing as soon as he found the scaly skin. With a screech the large animal bowled him over, catching it's pointed teeth in his vest. It dragged him backwards across the rough ground, the skin of his stomach and face scraping open as the stones grated against his body. He dug his feet in and slashed with his blade as best he could, only succeeding in getting his blade stuck underneath the lizard's chin. Thinking quickly, he forced the blade upwards, cutting through the bottom of its mouth and slicing into its tongue. Its roar was deafening as it dropped him, leaving spots dancing before his eyes and his ears empty from the sheer concussion.

--

Terra lurched to her feet as the monster dragged her friend away by his vest. Her sides screamed at her as she hefted the Ragnarok once more, half blinded by the flashing blade. Panting, she forced her aching legs to move, once she was able to keep her footing, she broke into a run, gripping the sword with both hands. She kept it down and to the side as she sprinted towards the beast, one eye on the unmoving Locke all the while.

She shouted something obscene at the creature as she ran at it, drawing its attention immediately. It turned its one eye to her just in time to watch its own death come at it. She kicked off the ground, tucking one arm against her as she aimed the tip of the Ragnarok at the beast's eye. The sacred blade tore right through the pupil and into the brain as though they were nothing at all. The tip of the blade ripped through the top of the lizards skull in a spout of tissue and blood, cleaving the bone neatly in two.

The great reptile gave a horrific gurgling shudder as it slumped over on its side, dead before it hit the ground. Terra's momentum carried her with it as it fell. She was able to regain her footing after a moment and planted one foot on the bottom of the fallen animal's skull. With a great heave, she pulled the Ragnarok out of the creature's skull. It came free easily, silvery blade flashing in the light. She looked down at it for a moment, her mind whirling with both pride and awe that she had taken it up once again. It had been forever since she had felt the rush she associated with heroism. She breathed deep, gripping the hilt tightly, reveling in its weight.

A weak moan and a faint warble drew her attention to the far side of the creature. Locke was laying in the dust, gripping his head as though it might cleave in two. The sheer volume of the creatures roar must have deafened him, hopefully not permanently. Still clutching her sword, she raced around to him as Anya hovered over him, nudging him with her beak. He moaned again and pushed her beak away weakly, slowly putting his hands beneath him in an attempt to rise.

"Locke, Locke, can you hear me?" Terra questioned, kneeling down beside him. She laid a hand on his back, rubbing gently to let him know it was her and not the beast.

"Yeah. Yeah, I hear you." He said, his voice straining. "Barely. Give me minute." He sat up slowly, leaning back on his hands as he bent his knees before him, legs apart. He groaned, closing his eyes against the light of the sun. She sat back on her heels as he dropped his chin to his chest, stretching out the back of his neck in an attempt to stave off the pain.

"Ah, there we go," He said, rubbing at his ears. "Now I can hear you." He offered her a tiny smirk despite the pain in his head. "Is it dead?"

"Yes, I got it." She said, rising and motioning to the corpse. Locke stared at it, eyes wide at the gaping hole in the top of its skull. "I'm surprised it came so close to the village, they usually stay far from us. If it hadn't been for you, I don't think I'd be alive right now."

She looked to him, a faint smile on her face as she wiped the sweat from her forehead, most likely leaving a bloody streak in its place. He stared at her for a moment, lips parted as though he were surprised by something she had said. She shifted under his gaze, uncomfortable beneath the unmasked awe in his blue eyes. It was just a plains dragon, why was he staring? Stepping away, she distracted herself with searching for the sheath to the Ragnarok. It wasn't hard to find as the jeweled hilt reflected light so well. She bent and pulled it out from beneath a clump of stiff grass. Shaking it free of dust, she slipped the glimmering blade into the safety of its sheath. Terra held it to her chest, comforted by its weight.

--

Locke couldn't keep from staring at her as he got to his feet, his joints screaming at him in protest. She stood silently, her back to him as she clutched at the sword; her sword. From the moment she'd taken it up, he was certain that it had been made just for her. He'd tried to handle it once, but it had been cumbersome and difficult to swing. He'd given it back to her, blushing underneath the steady smile she'd given him then.

Terra turned back to face him, her hair fluttering about her in the breeze, it's tie hanging at the edges of the strands, hopelessly tangled within. She looked down at herself, groaning as she peeled her blood soaked shirt away from her skin, or what was left of it. The beasts claws had all but tore it to shreds as it held her down. She cringed as she reached back to rub at the claw marks left in her skin as it held her down. He approached her slowly, his knee giving him hell as he stumbled across the uneven ground.

"See? That's what you get for going in without armor." He teased light-heartedly, motioning at the marks in her back.

"Me? You're the one that rushed in head long." She countered. "What kind of moron bum rushes a monster of that size?"

"Moron? Hey, I'm not the one who tried to take it on with a short sword." He replied matter-of-factly, folding his arms across his chest.

"Well, what the hell else was I supposed to do?" She growled at him, amethyst eyes gleaming as she fixed him with a glare.

"Running for your life comes to mind."

"Run? I've never run from anything in my life!" She stated, annoyance coloring her normally gentle voice. "Besides, we'd have never made it. It would have caught us if I hadn't stopped to take it on. And on top of that, I did more than fling a child's toy at it."

"Did more? Hey, I stole a potion!" He countered, raising the vial for her to see.

She just looked at him for a moment before her cheeked twitched and she began to chuckle. A moment later the chuckle turned into uncontrolled laughter, her chest heaving with the force. She bent, bracing her hands on her knees, her laughter continuing under his confused stare. The three remaining men from the village came running across the field to stop and stare in awe of the spectacle of the corpse and the laughing esper. Duane raised an eyebrow at him in an unspoken question, to which Locke could only shrug.

"Are you alright?" Duane asked as Terra finally stopped laughing and straightened, fighting to catch her breath. He looked her up and down, trying to assess how much of the blood was hers.

"Yes, we're fine," She said gasping, "Most of this isn't mine. Canaan," She started, turning to look at a tall man gripping a hay scythe. Canaan was Valda's husband, a slightly older man sporting mousy brown hair and earthy eyes. He was a farmer by choice alone, taking much pride in his work. "Can you fetch the cart from the village and have the boys help you bring it home? Where's Jacoby?"

"We made him stay in the village." Canaan replied, his deep voice sounding relieved. "He was exhausted, Marian was trying to force him into bed when we left."

"Good," Terra replied, still unable to catch her breath, she had a hand on her neck now, gripping at her throat as though it were starting to hurt. The first cough was small, as though she were simply trying to clear her throat. But the second was great and wracking, shaking her too thin frame to the core.

"Terra!" Locke cried as she stumbled, the coughing turning violent as she fell to her knees, gripping at her chest and throat. Flecks of blood splattered across the ground as he knelt beside her, reaching for her. She threw his hand back as she fought for breath, her lips flecked with blood. Tears streaked her cheeks from sheer agony as she bent again, arms wrapped around her stomach. She fell into dry heaves, her empty stomach convulsing as the coughing fit passed.

"Mama!" Nestor, Marian's fourteen year old son shouted, trying to run to her side. Duane held him back as Locke wrapped an arm about Terra, dragging her back to get her into the open air, hoping to get her to breathe. When the heaves passed, she began to take small shallow breaths, her ravaged throat and lungs unable to take much more. Though the breaths were small, they wheezed, the sound forever embedding itself in Locke's memory. Her head lolled back on his shoulder, weak from the force of her fit. Her eyes masked with the fog of great pain and she bordered on losing conciousness as a thin cough shook her once more, leaving a trail of blood drifting out of the corner of her mouth.

"We have to get her back to the village," He said lifting her frail form and rising to his feet.

"Wait!" Duane said. "Don't move her! We need a stretcher first. Something may have torn inside her and twisting her like that could kill her!"

"What choice have we got?" Locke half shouted. "She could die out here anyway before you even got back to grab the stretcher."

He whistled to Anya, who came instantly, her bloody wing tucked against her side. She warbled at him, looking to the barely conscious woman he cradled against his chest, her head lolling weakly against his shoulder. Cooing softly, Anya knelt down, waiting for him despite the pain in her wing.

"Thank you," he whispered as he settled himself onto her bare back, cringing as she whimpered, flexing her wing behind him to shift it out of the way. "As fast as you can, love, just don't hurt yourself further." Anya rose surprisingly easily underneath him and he hand to take one hand from underneath Terra, grabbing onto the birds neck as best he could with his bloody hands.

"Get home as fast as you can," He called over his shoulder to the men. "I don't know if she'll make it."

"Stop talking and go!" Canaan shouted at him, pointing a finger back toward the village.

Locke nodded and gently nudged Anya in the side with one foot. The chocobo started at a light jog, her long legs carrying them slowly at first before picking up speed. Without her saddle, they were jostled about painfully, Terra whimpering at every bump. He looked down at her, brow knit with worry at the fear that she wouldn't make it. Her heartbeat fluttered under his fingertips as he clung to her, barely strong enough to keep her alive. His sleeve soaked through quickly as blood continued to seep from the wounds in her back, the way he cradled her stretching the cuts and forcing blood through more quickly. He shifted her gently, hoping to keep the wounds from tearing even more. She whimpered at the movement and shifted her bleary gaze to him, the amethyst depths clouded with pain.

_"I'll protect you..."_

"Stay with me, Terra." He said as gently as he could over the rushing wind. "We'll be home soon."

Anya whistled loudly as they raced into the village, skidding to a stop in the square. Marian and Valda were at his side in an instant, helping him off the bird as she knelt down. Valda, staring in shock at the sight of Terra, pointed to the meeting hall and directed him to take Terra there while she tended to Anya. The chocobo warbled after him as he ran up the small hill, Marian racing ahead of him to throw open the door.

"We're home," he whispered to the half conscious woman in his arms as he stepped through the threshold into the dark meeting hall, his knees shaking as he looked down into her eyes once again. She shifted weakly, tucking her head into the crook of his neck. She was cold against his flesh, as though she'd been thrown into icy water.

"Put her on the table, " She commanded. "Has she been coughing?" The woman asked, eyeing the flecks of blood on Terra's quivering lips.

Locke nodded as he obeyed, laying his precious cargo down on the large dinner table, shifting her around gently. Marian's eyes were wide as she stepped around the table to a linen cabinet on the far side of the room, tugging a fresh table cloth from within. She folded it in half as she approached slipping it over Terra's legs as she came to stand beside her. Marian raised her gaze to Locke, as she pulled the belt ribbon of her pale pink dress from her waist and tied her hair back, revealing the thin scars on her neck and check, normally hidden away by the curtain of chocolate brown.

"Light the candles and open the windows." She said to him, "I'm going to need the light."

Nodding numbly, Locke stepped away from the table, just as Katrin waddled in, laden with two buckets of water, a wad of towels tucked beneath her arm. Marian looked at her in confusion, an eyebrow raised at the sight of her.

"Oh no, I'm not going back home." Katrin said before Marian could say anything. "You need my help. Valda sent me with the water, she'll be here once she sews up Anya's wing." She set the buckets down on the table and threw the towels into a chair as Locke turned a worried look to her as he set flint and steel to one of the tallow candles. "Don't worry, it's only a small tear, she'll be fine."

Wiping her hands on her skirt, Katrin took up the towels and bustled about setting each of them within Marian's reach. Once finished, she came to Locke without a word, pressing the towel into his hands and directing him to clean his face. He raised the surprisingly soft towel to his cheek and rubbed, his skin flaring up with pain as he rubbed the soil from the open cuts. He dipped a clean end of the towel into one of the water buckets and took it to the cuts, cleaning it as best he could. There was very little blood, thankfully, but the towel was covered with dirt before he was done.

"Goddess, I'm so sorry love, but it has to come off." Marian said apologetically, as she wiped blood from Terra's limbs and chest, the dried liquid came away with a painful crunch as it gave up beneath Marians ministrations. Terra groaned with pain as the towel left her bruised skin red. Marian shook her head, hurt in her eyes as she continued to rub at Terra. "Locke? Can you get a fire going in the hearth and hang the pot? I need to boil water to clean her wounds. Then I'll need to get some down her throat to wash the blood out."

"Y-yeah, sure." He said, pulling the large cast iron pot off of its shelf and hanging it on the hook in the hearth. Bending, he took a log out of the cradle and set it into the grate. Taking a handful of dried sweet grasses out of a bowl on a low shelf, he threw them atop the log and took the flint to it. The grasses caught fire and spread to the log just as Valda walked in, the medical sewing kit tucked under one arm, and addition wad of towels and another bucket in her hands.

"Anya's fine," She said with a grin. "Sore, but fine. How's the lady?"

"Not good," Marian said, "Those claws did a number on her back and she may have broken a few ribs. That's as far as I can tell at the moment. And, she's having a lot of trouble breathing. She must have coughed herself sick." Marian leaned over Terra and pressed at her ribs in a few places. Terra groaned loudly when Marian pressed on the lower left side of her rib cage. Marian hissed in a breath at the sound. She muttered to herself a few times before taking up one of the smaller towels and dipping it into one of the buckets. "Get some water into the pot, we need to hurry."

Katrin heaved one of the buckets down from the table and waddled over to Locke, who continued to stroke at the fire, getting the flames to rise. She raised the bucket and tipped it into the pot, spilling a portion of it down the front of her brown dress, cursing at the chill.

"Keep that fire up." She said to him, a hand on his shoulder. "We need that to boil as fast as possible."

He nodded to her as she turned away, pressing the poker into the fire once again, shifting the log aside as he pushed another one into the blaze. He didn't know what to do. It had been a long time since he'd seen anyone get this hurt, and they'd had magic to cure the injured then. He'd give anything for a strong cure spell to throw on his friend, but there was no way. They'd have to care for her just like everyone else in the world had to.

"Mommy?" A small voice sounded in the doorway. Locke looked over his shoulder as Amaria, Marian's nine-year-old daughter drifted in, brushing her long hair over her shoulder as she carried in a bundle that could only be wrap bandages. "I found them."

"Good girl." Marian said, as she kept wiping at Terra's skin, wringing the bloody water out in a bowl beside her before dipping it back into the clean water. "Bring them in, don't be afraid."

Amaria shuffled in, setting the bandages down on the table before stepping around to stand beside her mother, brown eyes wide at the mess before her. Terra turned her head to look at the young girl, a faintest of smiles on her bloodless lips. Valda reached over the young girl's head, drawing her attention as she scooped up the long strands of Terra's horribly tangled hair and pulled it out of the way, drawing in across the tangle and tying a bit of twine about it.

The water came to a boil surprisingly quickly, drawing Katrin back with a bundle of towels. She took a long wooden spoon and wrapped them about the edge before pressing them into the boiling water. As she stirred them, she dropped a bowl into the bottom, flesh-sewing needles weighed down within by a small rock. She kept stirring as Locke stood and stepped away, wiping his hands on his pants. He came to stand beside Valda as she began to spread out the various threads she'd used for surgical sewing and began picking through them trying to decide on which to use.

"Can I do anything to help?" He asked, his voice quiet as he looked more at Terra than at her.

"Yes," Valda said gently, handing him a pair of deathly sharp cloth shears. "You can cut that off for Marian." As she pointed to Terra, it took him a moment to figure out what she was talking about. She meant Terra's under garment that kept her small chest in place throughout the day. He'd seen her without her clothing before as he'd tended to her wounds multiple times, but that was a very long time ago, and with her so thin, he was afraid of what he'd see. Swallowing, he reached over as Marian went to clean her towel once again. He caught up the bottom of the strip of fabric, wondering as to why it was thick canvas rather than something soft like what Celes wore. Terra turned her head to look at him as he worked the shears against the canvas, cutting it neatly in two. She looked at him through half lidded eyes clouded with pain. From somewhere within he found the strength to turn up the corners of his lips as he slipped the canvas out from beneath her as gently as he could. As he set it aside, he noted that the back of it was soaked with blood, her blood.

He made to set it aside with her torn shirt when he felt the lightest touch on his arm. He looked down at her as she wrapped her weak fingers about his wrist. She blinked up at him, her mouth trying to work though no sound came from within, her ravaged throat and lungs not allowing any sound to escape. Brow furrowed, he bent down beside her, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. He leaned an ear close to her mouth as it continued to work.

"I'm sorry," She said to him breathlessly. Shocked at her statement he braced his hands on either side of her head and looked her in the eye.

"Don't you dare say that, Branford." He growled at her, stopping the other women in their tracks and drawing their gaze. "This is not your fault. You did what you thought was best. And you know what? It was. You just got a little beaten up along the way." She just blinked up at him, her clouded eye filling with that emptiness he'd come to fear over the last few days. They were like glass as he leaned over her, tracing her cheek with a thumb. "Now don't worry, We're going to take good care of you." Her mouth began to work again as she reached weakly for his hand, he let her have it, helping to wrapping her fingers about it as she held his calloused digits to her chest. He leaned down to her, fearing she'd make another stupid statement. But rather than frowning, he came up laughing.

"What? What is it? What did she say?" Katrin demanded as she came to the table, bringing the kettle over and setting it on a small wooden side table, spooning up the bowl of needles from within the hot water.

"She said for us to shut the hell up and get to work. She isn't going to die today." He grinned at them and gave her fingers a squeeze before letting her go so Marian could clean her arms of blood. Marian laughed though Valda and Katrin only chuckled uncertainly. Amaria grinned as she tugged a towel out of the hot water and wrung it out, careful to not burn her hands as she brought the towel over to Terra, laying it across her chest and neck, directed by her mother.

"No, today is not a good day to die, love." Marian said, offering Terra a broad grin. "Let's get started shall we? I need to roll you onto your side. Can Locke help you?"

At Terra's nod, Locke took her by the shoulders while Marian gently rolled her hips, turning her onto her left side. Locke smiled at Terra as he helped, shift her arms about, settling one beneath her head and the other over her chest so she could brace herself up with her hand. She looked at him, the hollowness within her reflected in the lines and shadows of her face. She was gaunt as she closed her eyes, her breathing deepening. He watched the rise and fall of her bare chest, satisfied for the moment. As she lay on her side like this he was able to get a perfect view of her dramatic weight loss in the sense that he could count her ribs. She wasn't emaciated, thankfully, but she certainly wasn't healthy. She was showing the classic beginning signs of anorexia. They'd have to do something to put some weight on her soon.

Her brow furrowed as Marian began to wipe at her back with a steaming towel, picking about the wounds carefully, pressing her fingers onto the flesh to keep it from tearing further as she scrubbed away the dried blood. Once satisfied, she wiped her hands on her pink gown before looking to Valda and asking her to thread a needle. Valda nodded and set about the task as Marian turned to wipe her hands on one of the hot towels. Returning to the table, Katrin directed Amaria out of the hall to join the other children while she settled towel over Terra's back and bustled aside as Marian came forward, taking the proffered needle from Valda.

"Stay with her, Locke." The scarred beauty said. "This won't be pleasant."

Locke nodded and took a seat in one of the smaller chairs, folding his arms on the table before Terra and settling his chin in the crook of his elbow. He reached for her hand, taking a hold of it gently, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. Her skin was cold, as though there were no blood flowing beneath. Rubbing it to get the blood flowing, he turned his gaze to her face. Still the empty eyes, her lips parted as he jaw lay slack. A shudder of revulsion crept it's way up his spine as she blinked, a tear drifting along her skin before coming to rest on the table top.

Marian bent and shifted the now cooled towel to the side, gazing at the four open tears with a careful eye. She nodded over Terra's shoulder at Locke as Valda closed the door and Katrin brought over the largest of the tallow candles. Locke gripped Terra's hand tightly as Marian took a deep breath and set into Terra's back. Valda threw herself across the table just in time to lay herself across the younger woman's legs as Terra gave a great kick in reflex to the shock of the needle in her back. Locke clung to her hand as the kicking reduced to shivers, her eyes that same hollow purple. He felt his gorge rise as she settled completely, oblivious to the pain as a faint trail of saliva slipped past her slack lips onto the table. As far as he was concerned, Terra wasn't in there. This was an empty shell that simply looked like his friend.

"Terra," He started, fighting back a gag. "Terra, stay with me. Don't go away."

No response.

"Damn it Terra, look at me." He growled, prodding at her cheek as Marian cut the thread on the second hole in Terra's back and started on the third. Katrin sucked in a breath and held the candle closer as Terra gave another jolt, her knees twitching despite Valda's weight on her legs.

"Goddess, she's strong!" Valda choked as she put as much of her weight on Terra's legs as possible. "There's nothing to her! She shouldn't be this strong."

"Story of her life." Locke said over his shoulder too her before settling his head on the table, trying to get the best view of his friend's face as possible. Terra took a deep breath, another tear drifting out of one glassy eye as Marian cut the thread and began on the last tear, the smallest of the bunch. Locke stretched out a finger and rubbed at Terra's cheek, the skin tight and cold beneath the calloused pad of his fingers. Then, a faint movement, a tugging at the corner of her slack lips before her eyes closed completely. Locke sucked in a breath, fearing the worst before her eyes slowly began to open again. He shifted around to see her, hoping his friend had come back.

He threw himself back from the table at the sight before him, swallowing hard against the bile that threatened to rise in his throat. The women and stared at him as he stood stock still, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides as he stood in silence, drawing shaky breaths.

_No…_

There, in the back of her eye, a tiny pinpoint of red light. A red he hadn't seen in five years, not since the magic fled. Shaking his head, he raised a hand to brush the sweat from his forehead. He was shaking and nauseas as he knelt beside the table, pushing the chair away completely. Taking a deep breath, he leaned forward under the stares of the woman and reached for Terra's face once more. Her eyes were closed as he set his fingers on her cheek, rubbing at it gently, fighting the dizziness that accompanied his pounding heart. Someone asked him something, but he couldn't hear them over the roaring of his own blood. When she didn't move, he pressed a thumb onto the bottom of her eye socket as gently as he could, pressing an index finger to the top of her eyelid as well. With a shaky breath, he gently pulled the lid open, terrified of what he'd see.

The white of her eye rolled in the socket, trying to right itself in the involuntarily opened socket. It found it's way quickly and her eyelid shut quickly, forcing itself free of his fingers. Her brow clenched together as she gave a slight moan, raising her hand to pinch at the bridge of her nose. Locke gave a weak relieved laugh and reached for her wrist. Her hand came away from her face and she looked at him.

And saw him.

A faint pained smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she gripped at his hand, holding it to her lips for the briefest of moments before cradling it to her collarbone. He smiled, hands shaking from relief now rather than horror. He must have imagined it, that was the only explanation. She'd killed Kefka herself, he'd been there watching. He'd caught her when Kefka threw her off him for Goddess' sake.

"Hey there," He said gently, voice barely above a whisper as he stroked at her cheek. "I thought we'd lost you for a minute there." He nodded over Terra's shoulder for Marian to continue. The woman sighed, her shoulders slumping with relief as she wiped the needle on a hot towel before returning to Terra's back.

"Last one," Locke told Terra pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Just another minute and we'll get you cleaned up and into bed."

She closed her eyes for a moment, swallowing hard past the pain in her throat before she looked at him again, nodding. At her movement, Marian set the needle into Terra's skin again, working as fast as she could. Terra winced, jolting slightly against the shock of the skin being pulled back together. She blinked several times, fighting back tears as her legs kicked of their own accord once more. Valda grunted against Terra's involuntary strength, pinning her down as best she could as Marian tied off the last of the stitches and sheared off the remaining thread.

The woman straightened with an exhausted sigh, her back cracking from the stress. She slumped back in a chair as Katrin set her candle down and drew the last towel out from within the pot of water, wringing it free of the additional liquid before turning and settling it across Terra's back. Valda stood slowly, gently releasing Terra's legs from her grasp. She came around behind Locke, patting him gently on the shoulder as she reached for the last bucket of water. Locke watched her as she reached within, wondering at her actions. Valda smiled as she pulled a wineskin from within, the bucket itself only a disguise. She passed the wineskin around to Marian as Katrin bustled back to the fire to put some water into a kettle to warm.

"Time for the fun part." Marian said as she pushed herself up from the chair. She tugged the stopper from the wine skin as Valda returned to Terra's legs, getting a grip on the once more.

"Fun part?" Locke asked in confusion. As if things weren't 'fun' already. What could they possibly have in mind?

"Malt whiskey." Marian said, taking a wiff of the sharp smelling alcohol.

Catching on, Locke bent back down to Terra his brow knit with worry. Terra simply nodded to him and offered him her wrists, pressed together. Locke caught hold of her wrists and got a good grip on them. After a thought, however, he leaned forward and pinned her elbows beneath his shoulder as well, she was strong enough to break his grip in an instant and he didn't want to take any chances.

Behind him, he heard Marian take a sip from the wineskin, shifting the whiskey about in her mouth before swallowing it. She then filled her mouth from the skin and looked to Valda.

"Set," Valda said firmly. Marian nodded and Locke tightened his grip. Terra shut her eyes and pressed her forehead into Locke's arm in preparation. "Go!"

Marian took a deep breath through her nose before spitting the whiskey at Terra's freshly sewn skin in a thin controlled spray, covering the entirety of her back in an instant. Terra bucked against the burn, her mouth open in a silent scream. As Marian went about with a second spray, the burn set in and Terra shrieked, the sound otherworldly in the enclosed hall. The scream scathed Locke's already aching ears as she reared, her hands almost pulling free from his grip as her back arched almost in half from the sheer agony of the whiskey cauterizing the flesh to keep out infection.

Her screams faded away to mere whimpers a moment later, only to be replaced with the faint sounds of sobbing coming in from the children's rooms beneath Katrin's house just next door. They hadn't expected Terra to scream so loudly so Katrin hadn't informed them that their Mama was hurt when she sent them downstairs so they could work. The door flew open with a bang, Jacoby standing in the doorway, pale as death and shaking with rage.

"What did you do to my mother?" He demanded, focusing in on the first person he saw, Locke. "What happened?"

"You're mother is fine," Valda said, but Jacoby wasn't listening. He was glaring at Locke, already angry with the treasure hunter for not letting him rescue his mother.

"Terra's fine." He grunted as he rose to face the boy, crossing his arms over his chest. "There's a few stitches in her back, but she'll be fine."

"Then why…" Jacoby started angrily, but Marian waved the wineskin at him as she slumped back into a chair once more, crossing her legs before her as she picked at her now bloodstained dress. "Ah…"

"Here we go," Katrin said, cutting in between them before anything even resembling a fight could begin. She picked the fresh bandages up off the table, stretching them out in her hands before bending over Terra, wrapping them about her ribs and back. "Jacoby, could you fetch me a cup, I want to clean her throat before we give her any infusions. Valda? Can you go see to the children while I prepare the herbs?"

Valda nodded and bustled out the door, rubbing Terra on the side of the thigh as she passed. Slumping, Jacoby turned and fetched a ceramic cup from a high shelf as Katrin fetched the kettle from the fire, bringing it to the table. She filled the little cup with steaming water and let Jacoby hang on to it while she came to stand beside Terra and helped her to sit up, but she couldn't hold herself up so Katrin motioned for Locke to come stand behind Terra and allow the half esper to lean against him. Marian rose and shut the door against any prying eyes as Katrin went about collecting small tins full of herbs and dried fruits down from high shelves.

"Small sips." Marian said as Jacoby helped Terra hang onto it, her hands weak. "Then home for a wash and into bed."

Terra nodded silently and took a first sip, almost choking on the hot liquid as it raced down her ravaged throat. She drank slowly taking several seconds between sips. Katrin finished making up the infusions and brought them over as Terra drained the cup and slumped back against Locke, her eyes slipping shut, exhausted by the ordeal. He wrapped an arm about her, trying to ignore Jacoby's annoyed glare as he squeezed at her shoulder.

"We need to get her home," Locke said as Terra tucked her head into the crook of his elbow, " She needs to sleep."

"And so she will." Marian replied with a sigh. "If you would carry her for me, I can clean her up and get her into bed in no time flat."

"I'll go get her bed ready," Jacoby said, slipping out the door to clean up the mess he'd made in his mother's bedroom.

Taking up the soft tablecloth, Locke pulled it up over Terra's frail form before scooping her up into his arms as gently as he could and strode out into the sunlight. Terra moaned and tucked her head into the crook of his neck, as he carried her up the hill. They were in the cool and shadowy house a moment later, Jacoby just finishing up putting the bed back together. He motioned for Locke to get her into bed as Marian came in behind them, a bucket of lukewarm water in one hand and the remaining clean towels in the other, her hair bound up in a ponytail once more.

Locke settled Terra's weak form into the bed with ease, pulling away the tablecloth as he straightened. He made to turn away, but Terra's hand on his arm made his turn back. She motioned for him to bend and when he did, she reached up and took the bandanna from his head, cradling it to her chest. He gazed at her for a moment in confusion as she wrapped the filthy bandanna about her hand, gripping it for comfort. He mustered a gentle smile and raised a thumb to rub at her cheek. She turned her pure amethyst gaze to him, the corners of her lips turning up in the faintest of smiles. There was something about that bandanna that reassured Celes, and from the look of things, Terra found solace in it as well. He'd let her keep it, for now if not for good.

"How long do you think she'll be in bed?" Jacoby asked, staring at the closed door, folding his shaking arms across his thin chest.

"As long as it takes," Locke said honestly, setting what he hoped was a comforting hand on the young man's shoulder. Jacoby looked at him, deliberation in his eyes before he raised a hand and patted at Locke's shoulder as well. Pride soared through Locke's veins as Jacoby looked to him, a newly formed trust shining in the young man's green eyes.

"Thank you for saving my mother." Jacoby said, dropping his gaze to the floor, rubbing at his elbow. "Somehow we'll make do without her help for a while, this isn't the first time we've lost a set of hands before."

Locke gazed at Jacoby as he drew his hand back, dropping both into his pockets as he looked the boy up and down. Jacoby rubbed at his chin as he stared at the floor, one fist pressed into his hip, the stance an exact replica of Terra's own when she thought hard. Locke could practically see the gears in the young man's head turn as he worked out how they'd deal with the loss of Terra's aid. Tomorrow was Terra's morning to help bring in the fish but there was no way she'd be out of bed that quickly. There would only be three of them dragging in the nets at dawn as Nestor tended to the cows at that hour. There was no way they'd be able to bring in those nets without a fourth man.

"Get me up before you leave." Locke said, looking at him. "I'll take her place." Jacoby looked at him in surprise, his green eyes wide at the statement. "I need to earn my keep around here anyway."

Jacoby nodded, a broad grin spreading across his face. Locke found himself smiling as well as Jacoby looked out the door, watching as Nestor, Duane and Canann pulled the corpse laden cart into the village, the Ragnarok gleaming proudly from its place beside the corpse. Jacoby raced down the hill to help, leaving Locke standing in the doorway to reflect on the day's events. It was strange seeing Terra with a sword again, but it had filled a void in him that he hadn't realized was there. For a moment he'd been back on the battlefield, fighting beside close friends for a greater good.

It was intoxicating.

And tomorrow, he would learn to pull his own weight here in Mobliz for a greater good of a different sort and he was honestly looking forward to it. Taking a deep breath of fresh air, he stepped out of the doorway and proceeded down the hill to help with the cart.

---

End chapter. Please review, I don't know what you want unless you tell me.


	4. Nightmares and Memories

**Authors note:** There is a **WARNING** attacted to this chapter for disturbing images. If you cannot handle images of zombifications, torn skin and exposed organs, or great gaping holes in people, do not continue or skip over the first section typed in italics. You have been warned. I don't want to hear anything about not warning people or putting forth images too fightening for viewers. There is a reason this story is posted for mature audiences only, and if you can't handle it, then that's your problem. If you are offended, please know that I will consider it your own fault for ignoring the authors note.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Final Fantasy 6. If I did, it wouldn't be the marvel that it truly is.

* * *

The Moments Between Us

**Moment Four:**

Nightmares and Memories.

**Five years, seven months, two weeks, one day, nine hours, three minutes since the death of Kefka Palazzo**

Locke grabbed at the net ropes, his strong fingers catching an easy hold as he stepped back, dragging the net along with him as he walked. Jacoby smiled at him from the other side of the little offshoot of the river stepping back as well. He started to walk along the riverbank dragging the net along. Locke kept pace easily, his heavy boots easily carrying him across the rocky shoreline. The drag on the net increased as they walked, a sure sign that they'd managed to catch up a few more fish for their baskets.

At a signal from Jacoby, he tugged hard on his end of the net, dragging it closer to the shore. The young man on the far side of the stream leaped nimbly from the shore to a large boulder in the center of the rushing water. He almost lost his footing on the slippery surface but regained his balance a moment later and made the last jump to Locke's side, dragging his end of the net along with him.

Locke braced himself as Jacoby handed him the other end of the net, leaving Locke fighting against the drag of the fish and the force of the rushing water. Jacoby stepped out into the water, meshing his fingers in to the net and began to slowly drag it up the bank, freeing it from the current. A moment later, the net broke the surface, six wriggling fish within. A broad grin found it's way to Locke's lips as Jacoby picked up the net and helped him carry it to the staging area Duane and Canaan had set up earlier that morning.

"How many?" Duane asked, grinning as he turned to them.

"Six," Jacoby answered, setting his end of the net down into the grass. The fish bounced about manically in the net as they fought for air, tails flapping about as they struggled. They weren't very large fish, they never were, but they were plenty enough to feed the village and leave some for drying for the winter.

"That's twelve for the day!" Canaan said, standing. The tall man came to stand with them, wiping his hands on his pants. He bent to look down at their catch as the fish began to cease movement. " Pretty good size, I'd say. Let's get them into the baskets. I'm getting hungry."

Locke nodded as his stomach gave a grumble of it's own, hungry after the morning's work. He bent, dragging the netting back from the now motionless pile of fish Duane brought over the last basket. Jacoby knelt to help him move the fish into the basket before picking up the net and folding it carefully.

Heaving the basket up into his arms, Locke turned to Duane and Canaan as Jacoby tucked the folded net under his arm and came to stand with him, shaking his hands free of water. The young man offered him another grin as he reached up to wipe a smear of river mud from his face, but only succeeded in spreading it around on his pale skin.

"Didn't work, friend." Locke said, throwing a lopsided smirk Jacoby's way. The young man shrugged and bent to pick up their second net, tucking that under his other arm to keep them from tangling.

"Come on," He said with a yawn. "I need a bath and some breakfast."

The group agreed and, hefting their baskets, set off east towards the village. A cool wind blew past them as they walked, chilling their wet clothes and leaving them shivering. He sun had dawned on a dismal day that promised wind and rain in the afternoon. They'd have to clean the fish and finish their chores before the rain forced them to retreat into the houses for the day. It had rained last week and they'd spent the entire day down in the children's room playing games and telling stories, while Terra and Valda taught the older children how to read and write, throwing a few mathematics in between. It had been surprisingly comfortable down there, just spending time together by the fire.

They came into the village not fifteen minutes later as the children were coming out for the morning, faces clean and bellies rumbling. Katrin came out of her house sporting an apron and sent a few of the kids off to collect eggs from the chickens before vanishing into the meeting hall. The chimney spat smoke steadily as the fire within was stroked for the morning's breakfast. Katrin had been out of the house much more since Terra had gotten injured. She said she felt better outside and had taken up her chores again, lightening the load all around. She was a bucket full of smiles everyday and the mood in the village had brightened considerably upon her return.

Valda came out to greet them as they came into the square, waving as she yawned. She waved them over to the side of her house where she'd already set up to gut and clean the fish. She smiled as Canaan pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Ugh, you all smell horrible." She said, fanning at her nose. "Don't let Katrin get a whiff of you. You'll make her sick. Go clean up or you don't get breakfast."

"Yeah yeah," Canaan said with a smirk. Valda raised an eyebrow at him then raised a foot to push him in the rear. He laughed and waved to them as he headed off to the small bathing room behind their house. Duane bent and set the last basket down as a bright and smiling Hope raced out of Valda's house, Valda's daughter Ava in tow.

"Daddy, daddy!" The little girl said, jumping up into his waiting arms. Duane lifted her easily, and spun once, laughing as he giggled. "Aw daddy, you smell like fishies."

"Yes, pumpkin, I do. Come on, I've got to go wash up before we go see mommy." With that, he set off for their house, the little girl sitting comfortably in his arms.

"And you, doll face," Valda said, looking down at her twelve-year-old. "You can help me with these fish." Ava made a face but rolled up her dress sleeves.

"Goddess, these things are so slimy." Ava scoffed as she pulled one of the large fish out from a basket and reached or one of the knives. She turned and set the fish on the large stone table and reached for an apron to cover the front of her dress with.

"You would be too if you swam all day." Jacoby said, tugging on the girl's ponytail. Ava swatted at him and Jacoby laughed, side stepping away from her. "At least you don't smell like one."

"Yeah, that'd be awful." She replied, making another face at him. "Goddess awful creatures."

"Yes, yes." Valda interrupted as she pulled on her own apron. "But they taste wonderful."

Ava conceded this to her mother and turned to make quick work of the first fish, dumping the tail, fins, head and innards into a bucket beside her. The remains of the fish would be used to fertilize the vegetable gardens later that day.

"Alright, off with you now." Valda said, waving Locke and Jacoby away from the cleaning area. "We need to get to work."

"Oh, blah blah blah, your needs." Locke said to her with a cheeky grin. She scowled and made to kick him as she had her husband, but he stepped out of the way, laughing. "Alright alright. Come on you."

He clapped Jacoby on the shoulder and turned, making his way up the hill to Terra's house. He'd been here for a month now and was finally getting the hang of life here in Mobliz. According to the village he officially lived in Terra's house and he could find no issue with that. Living there proved to be much more comfortable than he could have ever thought. Life was much simpler here than it was in Kohlingen. The only thing expected of him was to pitch in and eat at the table.

Terra came out of the house as they approached, hands laden with laundry. She didn't see them as she turned to nudge the door shut, the breeze picking up her long red skirt and tossing it about her legs. She smiled at them when they came to the top of the hill, her amethyst eyes glimmering in the gray morning light.

"Morning," She chimed as she set the pile of clothing down on the stone table around the side of the house. "How did it go?"

"We got twelve." Jacoby said, his lips curving into a wide smile as he approached his mother, brushing his tangled hair behind his ears. He bent and reached under the table, pulling the clothes line out from under the table. He hooked one end of the thin rope through a loop on the side of the house and the other to a wood pole stuck in the ground about ten feet away. Once finished, he vanished around the back of the house to clean himself up.

"That's great." Terra said as she reached around the side of the table and pulled the washboard out of its hiding place. "That should be the last of what we need for winter, it'll be early this year."

Locke crept around behind her, nudging her playfully aside as he picked up the washtub from were it leaned up against the wall of the house. He set it down and filled it with water from the buckets Terra had already filled as she went back into the house to fetch the soap. She came back with it in hand, absently tugging her shoes on. There were rules to Terra's house, and the first and foremost was that there were to be no shoes worn within. She was very strict when it came to her rules, and crossing her on them was not wise. She set the rough bar of soap down on the tabletop and began sorting through the clothes, tossing shirts to one side and under things and pants to the other. Locke shook his head when he saw his own clothing within the pile. She didn't have to do it, he could clean them himself. But when he tried, she told him it was nothing and that she'd take care of it, she already spent a good portion of her time cleaning the children's clothes and a few more wouldn't kill her.

"All set?" He asked, running his fingers through his silvery hair. It had gotten longer in his time here and she'd offered to trim it for him, and he was thinking of taking her up on the offer.

"Almost." She reached up without even looking at him and tugged the bandanna from around his head. She'd given it back to him when they finally let her out of bed three days after the incident a month ago. The stitches had come out surprisingly quickly and left her with nothing but thin scars and hurt pride. "Now I'm ready. When you've cleaned up, go ahead and bring me what your wearing now and I'll take care of them."

"I can do it too." He said, his brow knit as he looked to her. She just shook her head and reached up to tighten up her ponytail, brushing it off. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair again.

"Go clean up and get ready for breakfast. I'll have most of this done by then. Jacoby should be done shortly." She said, waving him off. He nodded quietly, not willing to argue with her and ducked inside the house to gather a fresh set of clothes, leaving his shoes at the door.

Jacoby came in right as he was leaving, shaking the water from his hair. He tossed Locke a towel before he could leave and said that he'd left fresh water in there for him. Locke thanked him and strode off for the little bathhouse. The bathhouse was more of a bath closet set into the back of the house, but the little stove kept it warm enough. The little tub set into the far wall, called to him as he shut the door.

Locke set his fresh things down on a small chair in the corner of the room and pulled the first bucket of water off the stove. Jacoby must have put it on early, as it was already nicely warm. He poured the water into the tub before setting another bucket onto the stove to warm as well. He stripped out of his filthy clothes quickly and crawled in, the hot water heaven against his chilled flesh. He just sat there a moment, staring up at the gray sky through the small dirty window set into the wall. Shaking his head, he took up the soap that Jacoby had left for him and began to scrub the dirt and the smell from his skin. He washed quickly; eyeing the amount of bruises he'd gained from the work he'd been doing in his time here. He'd done just about everything, tended the fields, repaired furniture, chopped firewood and took care of the livestock. Just about everything. Except cooking and laundry. The women wouldn't let him do that.

Leaning over, her scrubbed at his hair with the soap, washing out the sweat and dirt as best he could, leaving his scalp red from the abuse. His face also underwent the same torture. The women wouldn't stand for dirty faces at the table, and you wouldn't get your food until it was clean so he'd taken to cleaning it as often as he could. The food here was far too good to eat cold, despite it being mostly fish vegetables, and stew.

Standing, he took up the remaining bucket of water and rinsed himself clean of soap and any remaining dirt. Grabbing the towel, he stepped out of the dirty water and scrubbed at his body, finishing up his hair last. It was much warmer in the little room now, so he took a moment to gaze out the little window again. He could see Terra from here, hanging clothes up on the line quickly, the wind brushing through them gently, drying them. She wiped her hands on the hem of her skirt before vanishing back to her table. She stepped into view again a moment later, wringing water from a shirt before she hung it as well. She must be mostly finished with the laundry from the amount of clothing up on the line. She worked very quickly, always had, always would. Terra couldn't stand for laziness; it annoyed her to no end.

She planted a hand on one hip and pressed the other into her lower back as she leaned over it, popping her spine. She brushed her hands together for a moment and tossed her long emerald ponytail back over her shoulder as the wind gave a sudden gust and turned, disappearing around the side of the house. When she vanished, Locke dressed, the clean clothes a welcome change after the mud of the river.

He dragged the tub out of the little building and dumped the water out before propping it up on its side to dry. He put the fire in the stove out and gathered up his things before heading back into the house. Jacoby had gotten the fire going in the hearth and it was nicely warm as he stepped in, the threadbare rug warm beneath his bare feet. He retreated to the sofa as Terra stepped in, shutting the door behind her to stave off the chill.

"It's going to rain sooner than we thought," She said, slipping out of her shoes. Locke pulled his socks on as she went around, closing the curtains against the gray sky. "Probably not too long after breakfast, I'd say. I think we're in for a bit of a storm."

"Blast." Jacoby said, coming out of his room, running a small wooden comb through his hair. He tossed it onto his bed a moment later before stepping to the hearth and shifting the logs around with the poker. "I was going to fetch some of the deadfall out of the forest today."

"It'll be there tomorrow," Locke said, with a smirk. He reached down into the bags he still kept beneath the little table and pulled his own comb from within, tugging the tangles out of his hair. "I can help you. It'll get wet no matter what we do, so why not let it wait?"

Jacoby shrugged, he could live with that. Terra offered Locke a small smile as Jacoby turned back to the fire shifting the logs about with a poker. He gave her a lopsided grin of his own as she drifted past him into her room, returning a moment later, tucking her small feet into a pair of socks.

"Breakfast should be done shortly," She said, brushing a few stray strands of emerald away from her face as Jacoby stood. "We'd best get over there. Faces clean?"

They nodded as Locke stood, straightening his pants as he did. He tugged his boots on as Terra opened the door, his eyes on her slim back. She only ever asked one thing of him, a clean face. He found it strange that she never expected anything of him. Celes always expected things from him. But they were the things everyone would expect of him, help around the house, clean the dishes once in a while, and help bring in the laundry. Terra never asked him for any of that. She'd do it herself rather than ask anyone.

_Celes…_

He paused as Terra and Jacoby headed out the door, looking down at the floorboards. He hadn't thought about her for over a week, even as he lay in bed awake. It flooded back into his memory in a wave. He missed waking up to her gorgeous sapphire eyes and kindly smile, her shapely body pressed lovingly against his. He was lonely without her, more so than he had been in a long time.

"Locke?" Terra questioned, her voice drifting in from outside the door. She came back up the hill and appeared in the doorway. He leaned back against the doorjamb as she took a step into the house, waving Jacoby on. "Is everything alright?" She asked, reaching around behind her and shutting the door part way. He debated telling her everything was fine, but decided against it. He couldn't lie to Terra; he'd tried a few times, but just stumbled into the truth halfway through, spilling everything to the floor at her feet. She'd learned about Rachel faster than any of their other friends had, even Edgar.

"No, it's not." He said, casting her a low glance. He stepped back and set a hand on her thin waist, brushing her aside while he shut the door completely.

Turning back to her, he kept his hand on her for a moment, his palm resting on her sharp hipbone, the cotton of her red skirt soft beneath his fingertips. He looked down at his hand, surprised at how large it was compared to her bone. Her hands came around and settled atop his, her skin chill from the air outside. He looked to her face, her amethyst eyes shining and her brow knit with worry. She tilted her head to the side, her soft lips parting as though she were trying to find something to say. He turned his hand and took hold of her smaller ones, releasing her hip as he guided her towards the sofa.

Locke was the only man he'd ever known that Terra Branford allowed to touch her in such a way. Even if it wasn't intimate, she hated most physical contact. Though when asked about it, she could never explain why. They'd figured it was some lay over from her time in the slave crown. She couldn't remember very much of anything from her time in the empire, so it only made sense that it was back there somewhere, lost to time. But for some reason, she allowed him to touch her, when she was nervous or frightened she'd come to him and all he had to do was nudge her or take her hand and she'd settle. At first he thought that she was in love with him, but as time passed, he realized that it was a lot less than that, it was just an attachment she'd made when he'd rescued her all those years ago, not unlike the connection a child makes when it sees its mother for the first time. They were never intimate, but there were times when he could have thrown her down and done a thousand things to her, but that was long ago. He loved Celes and had never thought of Terra in a romantic way. And thankfully, she'd never felt that way towards him, as far as he knew.

He sat her down on the newly upholstered cushions and settled down next to her, one elbow propped up on his knee, cheek in hand while he continued to grasp her hands in the other. He gazed at the threadbare rug, eyes focusing in on the faded colors as his mind focused in on how that splotch of blue must have once been the color of Celes' eyes and that thread must have been her hair.

"So go home," She said suddenly, pulling her hands free and resting them on his back. Her cheek settled between her hands as she kicked off her shoes and folded her feet up onto the sofa, breaking her own rules. He chuckled deep in his chest and took a deep breath. She just sat there a moment, listening to him breathe, her hands slipping around to wrap about his waist. She was warm then, not just by temperature but of heart as well. She seemed to have lost a lot of that warmth in the two years he hadn't seen her and this was a welcome reprieve. "I'll pack up some food and you can leave whenever you want. You need her Locke and she needs you."

"How is it that you always know exactly what's wrong with me?" He asked, looking back over his shoulder at her. She opened her eyes and smiled faintly, lifting her head to gaze at him.

"Because I'm a mother." Was her gentle response as she laid her head back down, her eyes drifting shut. "Jacoby says I rock like that."

Locke laughed and rubbed at her bony knee though her skirt. She shifted faintly and settled her chest against the expanse of his back, leaning against him as a shudder threatened to shake him. She'd lost far too much weight. She felt like a child on his back, her ribs pressing into his back through his shirt. But it was not revulsion that shook him, simply fear. Fear that she would die of malnourishment or some illness she couldn't fight off when winter came.

"He would be correct in that." He said, grinning at her even though she kept her eyes closed. She just chuckled and made no comment on the matter, her breathing slowing as she rested.

"If you give me a few minutes, I can make up a bag of food for you and you can leave whenever you're ready." She said quietly, her voice breathy in the warm air. He looked away from her and folded his hands between his knees, staring into the fire across the small room a lump in his chest.

He was torn. He didn't want to leave but the thought of Celes and the house in Kohlingen was tugging at his heartstrings, a siren calling out to him and begging him to come home. He missed her so suddenly that he could have wept for just the sound of her voice. Homesickness was the last thing he'd ever thought he'd get. He was a traveler after all, but he hadn't felt it when he had gone about his little adventures a few months ago. So, why is it so strong now?

"…me know and I can get Anya ready for you." She'd been speaking and he'd been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn't heard her.

"I'm sorry, what?" She sat up and looked to him, a gentle smile on her pale lips as she took her hands away. As her warmth fled, he ached for its loss. He mentally berated himself for not listening. His face grew hot from his own foolishness and he was certain he was blushing.

"I said, when you want to leave, let me know and I'll get Anya ready for you." She sat back on the sofa cushions, hands folded neatly in her lap and he knew he'd messed up. She wasn't going to touch him now and the chill that had become a part of her was creeping back in, dragging that awful emptiness with it. She never stopped smiling though, and he hated it. He wanted to rip that mask off her face and stare that emptiness in the face. Scream at it to leave his Terra alone.

_His Terra…_

"That's alright, I can do it. I can stay until tomorrow if you like. It's a little too cold for Anya right now, she'd peck my eyes out if I pulled her out of the barn." He smirked at her and inwardly flinched as a tiny empty smirk tugged at her lips, brutally forced. He could scream for hours at that empty shell and demand his Terra back, but deep within, he doubted it would get him anywhere.

"Whatever you think is best," She said, rising to her feet and stepping away from the sofa while she fluffed the wrinkles from her skirt. "They'll be eating breakfast now, I'm sure there'll be plenty left if you head over."

"What about you?" He asked as she slipped her shoes back on and headed for the door.

"I need to bring in the laundry, something tells me it's about to start raining, I'll let it dry in here." With that, she opened the door and stepped out. He tried to leap to his feet to stop her, but his legs wouldn't work and his mouth could form no words. She'd been going to eat, but now she had no interest, because of him. Propping his elbows on his knees, he dropped his head into his hands. Visions of his golden haired angel drifted before his closed eyes, but behind her floated an emerald blur he couldn't forget.

--

He'd gotten up early like he had the past few weeks, but rather than going out for the morning's chores, he packed up his saddle bags and slipped into his heavy cloak. It had rained heavily all of yesterday and he'd remained inside. But Terra didn't come back in with the laundry; she didn't come back in at all until very late after he was asleep. She must have spent the day with the children while he'd stayed in the house, taking with the men and explaining the next day's departure. Jacoby had not been pleased. He didn't say anything but his face was gaunt and he'd left for Katrin's house with Duane when the meeting ended.

The morning was bright but cold as he drifted into the barn; Anya was already awake and warbled at him as he approached. He raised a hand to rub at her beak, her great blue eyes closing briefly at his touch.

"Ready to go home?" He asked, leading her out of the stall she'd called home the past month. She stepped out proudly and flapped her great wings, the feathers of her repaired wing finally growing in around the stitching scars. "Three days maximum, love."

"All set?" A voice behind him asked. He turned and found Marian in the doorway, hands on her hips. They'd become friends in his time here, something had happened between them when she'd sewn up Terra's back and she'd become fond of him very quickly and vice versa. Marian was a wonderful woman when you broke her outer shell. She was lively and raucous, but full of pride and a sense of honor that would knock your block off. There was no anger in her as she came to them, but there was hurt in her eyes.

"Yeah, we're good." He said, his voice much softer than he'd expected it to be. She nodded, sending her chocolate waves of hair cascading back over her shoulders. The woman turned and took Anya's harness down from the wall first and brought it to him before retrieving the heavy saddle. He slipped the harness over Anya's large beak with ease; she never fought him when he dressed her. Marian hefted the saddle to them and within minutes, Anya was geared up for the journey.

"Let's get you home." Marian said, rubbing at Anya's side as she took the reigns from Locke and led the bird out the door. Despite Marian's willingness to help him leave, there was something in the way she carried herself, a tightness that dripped with sadness at his leaving. It hurt, watching her lead Anya out, whispering sweet things to the bird. Marian had practically hated him when he first came, and now she was sad to see him go. As far as he knew, she didn't like Edgar or any of the others, so it was strange seeing her so down over this.

Sighing, he walked out after them, tucking his cloak about him to keep out the chill. The family waited for them in the square, the children quiet as they looked to him with sad faces. His brow knit as he looked at them. They'd gotten used to him suddenly diving into the middle of them, ready to wrestle about at a moments notice and going to him when they needed something that watching him leave was hard on them.

Marian stood among them, waiting as a few of the children patted at Anya, laughing as he pushed them about gently with her beak. Valda came down out of her house then, Ava in tow, their arms laden with small bundles. They came to Anya and began loading the remaining space in his saddlebags with their little bundles that could only be food. Valda smiled at him brightly, the chill morning air turning her cheeks red.

"This should keep you going." She said cheerily. "Apples and sweet buns, a loaf of bread and some dried fish. We had also had some extra jerky from that lizard so we put that in there too."

Th-thank you!" He said surprised that they'd given him so much. "You didn't have too"

"Oh yes we did," Ava said tucking the last package into a packed bag. "After all you've done around here."

He blushed as the twelve year old winked at him, her hazel eyes sparkling with mirth. Something behind him grabbed at his neck and pulled, drawing him back roughly. He coughed, heart pounding as he tried to break away. A hand pressed into his shoulder and something thin wrapped about his neck before being drawn away.

"Yeah, it'll fit!" Katrin's chimed as she let him go, tucking her measuring tape into a pocket on her apron.

"Thank Goddess." Marian said drifting over, something fluffy in her hands. She came to stand before him, her green eyes sparkling as she raised her hands to tuck a great wool scarf about his neck. It was plain wool without color, freshly knit from the wool they'd sheered off their few sheep last week. He looked down at it surprised.

"Wow, thank you. But I don't think it'll be that cold." He said, tugging at it.

Marian planted her hands on her shapely hips and raised an eyebrow at him, the corner of her lips curled up in a doubting smirk.

"Uh-huh. Riding a chocobo this close to the sea and then hopping a boat at this time of year. When you catch the fever and can't eat or get up to piss, don't expect me to look after you."

The adults broke into a round of laughter as he tucked his scarf closer about his neck, nodding to her in obedience. It really was a nice scarf after all and very comfortable. He blushed once more as he looked down at her, her eyes softening. He leaned down to hug her in thanks. She squeezed him back hard, telling him she'd miss him. He replied to the vice versa and let her go, she smiled and brushed her hair back from her beautiful yet scarred face ad he couldn't imagine her being lovely without them.

"Ah, but wait." She said, pointing a finger at him." Scarves must always be worn with hats."

Katrin came up from behind Marian, tugging a knit wool hat out from the pocket of her apron and reached up to tuck it about his head and ears. He laughed and hugged her as well, muttering thanks. There were hugs all around at that point, the children coming to him in twos and threes. Duane presented him with a sad Hope who clung to Locke's neck as he gave her father a hearty handshake. He pressed a big kiss into the little girls tear streaked cheek before handing her back to Duane, a giggle on her lips. Canaan clapped him on the back and shook his hand hard, telling him they'd have to go to Anthem for a drink sometime and Locke agreed. Nestor and Alan, Ava's older brother, came to him next, shaking his hand and thanking him for his help. The explained in a rush that if he came back in time they'd get to see them try to get their little aircraft kite they'd designed to fly. Locke told them he'd try, but he didn't tell them that he hadn't even thought about coming back.

Ava gave him a quick hug, blushing as she did. Ava was a good girl who didn't have much contact with men, but she kissed his cheek and said she'd miss him and he kissed her head and said the same. That was when the door to Terra's house opened and she and Jacoby came jogging down the hill, faces red from the chill. Terra smiled brightly at him when she saw him, and he was relieved to see the warmth in her. Jacoby was hushed and down cast as he came, arms laden down with what proved to be a pack. He offered it to Locke with cold hands, his teeth set hard.

"Here, this is an extra cloak and a blanket for the road. There's an extra knife in the bottom and a box of cherries for Celes. It's wooden and padded so she can also use it for her jewelry if she likes." The young man said as Locke took it from her, surprised once again.

"They're blood cherries so we know she'll like them," Terra said as she hung an extra bag onto Anya's saddle and rubbed at the bird's beak, lovingly. "There's some syrup in a bottle at the bottom at the bottom so be careful when you take things out. It's Kaia tree syrup so if you get it on your clothes it'll never come out. Expect her to jump all over you when you tell her you have them. She might eat you alive."

The group laughed as Terra waggled her eyebrows at him, even Jacoby smiled faintly at the joke. Locke was so stunned at their gifts that he couldn't find the words to thank them, he muttered something but he couldn't tell what it was for the life of him. They all just smiled warmly at him. Terra finished closing up the bags and came around Anya to present him with his water skin, freshly filled and ready for travel.

"If you can, stop in Anthem for some of Hanma's strawberry coffee, it's worth it on chilly mornings like this. She's in the little café on Main Street, with the blue table cloths and the swan fountain, you can't miss it. Tell her we sent you." Terra said, smiling brightly. He just looked at her for a moment, as she came closer, her hand folded against her breast as she quieted and looked up at him, her fathomless amethyst eyes sparkling. He stepped closer and tilted his head to look down at her, as she was a full foot shorter than he was. Celes was tall, so he'd never had to stretch his neck when he was this close to her. He barely noticed as Valda ushered the others away, leaving them alone for a moment, Jacoby standing off to the side, arms crossed as he looked the other way.

She set a hand on his chest as she looked up at him, the chill breeze ruffling her hair and plain canvas skirt about her lithe frame. She wore the emerald strands down this day and she had to blink as they drifted past her eyes. Locke smiled and raised a hand to brush them aside, his hand resting on her cheek.

"I'll come back," He said. "I pr.."

"Don't." She said, cutting him off, though there was no anger in her. "Don't say that. You never do. If you ever want to come back, or if you ever remember us, then just come. You'll be welcome. They approve of you now and would be pleased to see you."

_Promises, promises, everyday and everywhere, broken and unbroken, with or without care, I've no care for promises, as people choose not to keep, promises promises, enough to make me weep…_

He cringed inwardly at her statement, her words of two years ago ringing in his mind like a grave bell. How could even think of saying that to her again? How often had he promised her things that he never delivered?

_I'll protect you…_

But she had protected him instead, hadn't she? She'd saved him from the lizard and allowed him to live in her house and not think about the problems he faced at home, Celes' desire for marriage and a baby. He'd think about it on his way home, think about what to say to his golden angel.

"Alright," He said at last, mustering a smile as he rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "I won't then. But you will see me again, I swear it."

She blinked at him, her lips parted as she mentally digested his words. She smiled after a moment and nodded, willing to accept that. She stretched up onto the tips of her toes and slipped her arms about his neck as he hugged her about the waist, gripping her tightly as though he feared she would vanish. And perhaps she would for how fragile she felt in his grasp.

She went away from him then, her hand settling on his shoulders as she took a step back. She offered him a tiny smile and motioned towards Jacoby. The young man stood off to the side, his back to them as he allowed them their moment. Locke nodded to her in understanding and called to the young man. Jacoby turned and looked at him, his pale face gaunt with unhappiness as he looked at them. He came to them quietly, hugging himself against the cold.

"Ready to go?" He asked, his voice soft.

He offered a Locke a light smile as the older man nodded and offered him a hand. Jacoby shook his hand, his fingers gripping surprisingly tightly as he looked Locke in the face. Jacoby was really going to miss him, Locke realized. A warm smile curled his lips as he tugged on Jacoby's hand and drew him in for what he referred to a 'man hug', a quick grip and three pats on the back. Surprised, Jacoby didn't know what to do for a moment, but returned the hug clumsily, a bright smile on his face.

"Alright you two, break it up." Terra said with a laugh. "Locke needs to get on the road before the sun gets to high."

Reluctantly, Locke drew away, clasping Jacoby warmly on the arm. Terra smiled at him as she led Anya over by her reigns. The great bird warbled at him and tossed her head, wings flapping eagerly at her sides. She clapped her beak at Locke as he slipped by, gripping onto the saddle. He cast a glance at Terra before heaving himself up. She just gazed back at him, her amethyst eyes gentle. Once he was safely up in the saddle, there was a gaggle as the children drifted back, drawn to the spectacle.

"See ya, doll face." He said to Terra, his blue eyes alight at the feeling of the road yawning before him. Terra crossed her arms and smirked at him, cocking a hip as he pressed to fingers to his forehead in salute.

Grabbing up the reigns, he wheeled Anya about towards the south side of the village. She trumpeted as the children moved quickly out of the way. He smiled as he shook at the reigns, sending Anya off at a jog. He was headed home.

--

**Five years, nine months, one week, two days, twenty-one hours, forty-six minutes since the death of Kefka Palazzo.**

_He found himself staring up at Terra's house from the center of the square, the chill air swirling about him as the dark clouds above twisted and coiled about themselves, threatening to storm. The house was dark, the windows flung wide, the cold wind sweeping Terra's simple drapes out and tossing tem about helplessly on the wrong side of the wall. His brow furrowed as the door creaked on its hinges, hanging open and crooked despite the bitter cold._

_The village was silent save for the wind, no children anywhere in sight. Normally he'd have been able to hear them through the walls of Katrin's house, but the windows were dark as well, and no sound came from within. He reached around behind him to grab at Anya's reigns, but the bird was not there, nor were there any signs of her in the mud behind him. But, if Anya wasn't here, then how did he get to Mobliz?_

_The airship came to mind as the wind buffeted against him, chilling him to the very bone. The front door rattled in its frame, banging hard against the side of the house, tearing the top hinge out of the jamb. The bang resounded through the air, echoing off the houses like a death bell._

_Shivering, Locke started up towards the house, his heavy boots squelching in the thick mud. A flash of lightning split the sky overhead, casting the empty village in a stark white. Thunder cracked sharply as it began to rain, small drops at first then a downpour so thick, the lines of the houses blurring before him. He stumbled up the hill as the muddy earth gave way in a rush, flowing past him in a river. He fell to his hands and knees as the mud slipped out from beneath him. He dug his fingers into the dirt, gripping at the hard packed earth beneath. His exposed fingers froze as the mud caked against his fingerless gloves, weakening his grip._

_Catching a rock, he was able to scramble up the hill, now much steeper than he remembered. An earsplitting peal of thunder resounded overhead, drawing his gaze upwards. The black clouds swirled above him, reaching down with white fingers for Terra's small cabin._

"_Terra!" He cried, his voice lost to the wind. The fingers of cloud retracted, and spun back into the clouds, no damage done to anything on the ground. Kicking in the loose mud, he forced himself up the hill, racing for the open door. A blast of wind rocketed past, ripping the already hanging door from its last hinge and throwing it to the ground. _

_He grasped at the jamb and rushed inside and out of the howling wind. It was cold in the cabin, much colder than Terra ever would have allowed it to be. He looked about the small living room, eyes catching on the little kitchen in the corner. His brow knit as he gazed at the small drape over the kitchen window. It had been a faded blue when he last came, when had she changed it to gray? And why was the hearth the same shade? Everything in the house had been cast in an unnatural black and white, taking away everything that made it Terra's house._

_Lightning flashed again, filling the house with white light. Thunder followed, leaving his ears ringing. He stepped away from the door as the wind shifted, blowing the rain inward across the little doormat, soaking it instantly._

"_Jacoby?" He asked. "Doll face? You home?" _

_No response. _

_He crept further into the house, towards Jacoby's open bedroom door. The room was empty when he peeked inside, but the little area was trashed. The bed had been turned upside down and the dresser was thrown across the floor. The few knick-knacks that the young man had gathered over the years lay broken across the floorboards, scattered in small clumps._

_Locke stepped back out of the little black and white room, turning his gaze to Terra's room. The door was slightly ajar, another flash of lightning illuminating the frame. He approached slowly, his muddy boots squelching as he crept across the rug, one hand forward as he reached for the door. A feeling of dread rose within him as his fingertips came to rest against the cold wood, a faint sound from within stopping him in his tracks._

"_Terra? It's Locke." He said, slowly pushing the door open. "You ok?"_

_Dread turned to fear as the door squeaked open on the scene within. The bed had been thrown clear across the room, resting against the wall; it's frame splintered and forcing the broken window out of its frame. Clothes lay scattered across the floor, the Ragnarock caught up within them, it's curiously black sheath cracked and pealing away from the metal. Shards of Terra's little mirror covered the floor at his feet, reflecting his every move back up at him. He stepped into the little room, carefully maneuvering past the broken pieces of her dresser. The emptiness hung in the air like an oppressive fog, choking him and pushing him down beneath its weight. He forced his way through it, fighting to keep his balance as he searched the room for his friend._

_He found her quickly, despite the fact that she blended in with the monotonous black and white that claimed this place. She lay slumped across her little worn vanity, her brush and hair ties scattered across the floor at her feet. Her back was to him, one arm thrown across the vanity, her forearm laid up against the wall at an awkward angle, her head resting on her elbow._

"_Terra?" Locke asked, the worst. But as he came closer, her back rose and fell evenly, though slowly. "Oh, thank the Goddess. Terra, come on, we should get down to the kids rooms, this storm is getting too nasty for my liking."_

_He laid a hand on her back as she inhaled, the sound a horrific rasp. She shook beneath his fingertips, struggling for breath. Startled, he drew his hand back as she started to move, the rasping becoming worse with each breath taken. She lifted her head and coughed over the vanity, just out of his sight. As she coughed, there was a squelching as something wet fell to the flat surface. Worried, he reached for her again, but she slowly sat up, her hair hanging in clumps over her face, matted with sweat. As she drew back he looked to the desk and found it covered with a viscous black slime, gleaming in the gray light._

"_What the hell?" He questioned as she gave another shuddering, wet cough, more of the slime spilling out onto her lap. She pressed her hands against the edge of the vanity and slowly got to her feet, her movements sluggish and drunken. She swayed and coughed again, spilling the thick plasma down the front of her clothes, matting her gray skirt to her legs._

_Locke backed away, his stomach roiling with horror. Terra turned to face him; her head hanging low and her arms limp at her sides. She coughed again spreading the slime across the floor. She raised her head and looked to him, clumps of hair hanging in her face and soaked with the slime. _

"_Oh Goddess, Terra, what happened? Where's Jacoby?" Locke got his answer a moment later as Terra took a shuddering step towards him and revealed the space on the far side of the bed. A shape that could only be Jacoby lay sprawled on his chest behind her, a pool of the slime surrounding his body._

"_What did you do to him?!" Locke demanded with a shout, backing away. Terra must have killed him, it was the only answer. Rage mixed in with the fear that squirmed within him, setting his heart racing. "You'd kill your own son?"_

_Terra said nothing and took another step towards him, raising a hand to brush at her hair, tugging the soaked curtain away from her face. Locke shouted and backed against the door, knocking it closed as she pulled her hair away. One side of Terra's face was gone, eaten away as if by acid, the exposed bone within dripping the black slime. It oozed from her empty eye socket and dripped down the front of her torn shirt. The still intact side of her face was slowly succumbing to the slime as well, it gathered around her eye and pooled at the corner of her lips. She raised a hand to brush at the slime as it dripped out of her nose, her hand tearing bits of skin away. _

_Locke felt his gorge rise, his blood running cold in his veins as she took another step forward, her shirt falling away from her chest. The skin had pulled away from her ribs, taking her right breast with it. Her lungs expanded and contracted against her ribs as she gave another wracking cough, the slime oozing past her ribs in a rush. She wrapped an arm about herself as she stumbled, her skirt catching on the bed frame and pulling away from her stomach._

_He screamed, terror gripping him as the skirt pulled away. A hole had been blown in her abdomen, apparently from within, exposing the pulsing interior of her womb, the bones of her pelvis slowly beginning to poke through into the small chamber. He tried to look away, his hand frantically searching behind him for the doorknob, but it seemed to have vanished. She continued to approach the rasp of her breath growing louder as she raised a hand to reach for him. And as she leapt for his throat, teeth bared, he couldn't keep his eyes off that empty womb._

--

He cried out as he sat bolt upright in the bed, soaked in a cold sweat. Celes squawked as she tumbled out of the bed, landing on her side against the cold floorboards. She scrambled about in confusion for a moment, gasping with fright. Locke leapt up from the bed and flattened himself against the wall facing the room as panic gripped at him. He raised a hand to shield his face as Celes jumped up on her side of the bed, flinging her braid back over her shoulder.

"Goddess' name!" She cried first at her rude awakening then at his quivering, terrified state. She grabbed the flint and steel from her nightstand and lit a small candle before getting to her feet. "Locke! Locke, what the hell happened?"

She dove over the bed, dragging the blankets with her as she came to his side. He backed away for a moment as she reached for him, a whimper escaping him as she caught his shoulders in an iron grip. She shook him hard, saying his name several times in an attempt to calm him.

"Locke. Locke, calm down. It's over. It's just a nightmare. You're safe now." She said, shaking him.

Locke slowly dropped his hands, looking to her as the panic slowly faded from his blue eyes. He took a deep breath as she released him, sagging against the cold wall as she took a step back with the thought that he might be ill. Locke never had nightmares this bad, not even after Kefka had passed. When he calmed a little more, she reached for him, setting a hand on his shoulder as she took a breath of her own, trying to calm the racing of her own heart. Taking a grip on his arm, she guided him to sit down on the bed. As he sat, she took the blankets and wrapped them around him. His skin was freezing and he had started to shake. He wrapped them closer about himself as she kneeled down before him, rubbing at his knees.

Gooseflesh broke out across her skin as the wood floorboards chilled her bare feet and legs. She looked up at him, her brow furrowed as he settled into the blankets eyes closed. A soothing smile curled her lips as he opened his eyes to look at her, a faint blush coloring his cheeks.

"I feel like a child." He said, chuckling nervously. "It's been a long time since I've been this freaked out by a dream."

"Sometimes they do that." Celes replied with another soothing smile. She leaned forward, settling her cheek against his knee, rubbing at the other. "Everyone's allowed to freak out now and again."

He reached down with a warming hand and rubbed at her back, picking at her nightgown absently. She sighed at the feel of his hand on her back, it was comforting in the chill bedroom. Winter had advanced quickly, throwing snow and ice over the growing town, chilling it to the bone.

"Thanks." He said gruffly.

Celes looked up at him, drawing her head away from his knee. She pushed herself up from the ground and sat beside him on the bed, tucking her cold feet on the bed beside her as she draped her arm over his back. Smiling at him, she pressed her nose into his cheek and wiggled it, kissing the cold flesh. Locke laughed and turned his head to catch her kiss, returning it with a gentle one of his own.

"Do you think you'll be able to go back to sleep?" Celes asked as she drew back, brushing a stray strand of hair away from his face.

"No," He replied with a sigh. "I'm up now."

"Are you sure?" She asked, her brow furrowing again. She cast a glance up at the clock on the wall, a gift from Edgar for her birthday last year. "It's not even four. Dawn is hours away."

"That's alright," Locke said, pushing the blankets back and getting to his feet, straightening his sleeping pants about his legs. "I'll survive."

He walked over to his dresser, tugging open a drawer and pulling a clean shirt from within and slipping into it. She gazed at him from her place on the bed, shivering beneath the thin fabric of her nightgown. Locke turned to her, a meek smile on his lips as she pulled the fur blanket up over her shoulders.

"I'll go read or something." He said, pointing to their closed bedroom door. "I'll be alright. You go ahead and get back to sleep."

"Are you sure? I can stay up too." She yawned as she spoke, a hand coming up to cover her mouth.

"No," Locke replied with a chuckle. "You have to be at the store early, you need your rest."

She shook her head and made to get up, but he was at her side in an instant, kissing her forehead and easing her back as he tucked the blankets around her. She glared at him for a moment, determined to stay with him. But the warmth of the blankets, decided for her, easing her shivering. She yawned again as her head grew heavy, settling against the pillow.

"Fine," She said with a light chuckle. "Be that way."

"I will," He said, smiling. He leaned over and blew out the little flame, kissing her on the cheek once more. She lay quietly as he slipped out the bedroom door, worry in her heart and mind as she rolled onto her side and stared at their little dark window. What had he seen that could possibly keep him up? Was it Rachel? Or something worse? She lay like that until dawn, drifting between wakefulness and sleep, worrying all the while.

--

Locke shut the door behind him, leaning against it for a moment as he listened. When no sounds came from within, he sighed and stepped into their small living room. Even in the darkness, he knew it well. The wood floor chilled his feet as he maneuvered around the small sofa and through the archway into the kitchen. He took up the flint and steel that always rested in a little dish on the counter and lit the lamp.

He shifted the lamp onto the dinner table and took a seat, uncertain of what to do now that he was out of bed. It was black outside, but the lamp illuminated the layer of snow that had settled across the window. He snorted, the ocean was less than a mile off, but they still got snow. This whole area drove him crazy, sea wind and mountain snow. It was enough to make him move to Figaro.

Huh, Figaro. That was an interesting thought. A desert just on the other side of those snowy mountains, it made no sense. And what would he tell Edgar when he showed up in the throne room?

"_Oh yeah, Edgar. I hate Kohlingen, can I stay here?"_

Locke snorted again, the thought was absurd. Besides, living in a castle would drive him crazy. Wait, why was he thinking about this? Kohlingen wasn't that bad. Bizarre weather patterns had never bothered him before. Hell, even Mobliz had strange weather, but he'd lived there quite happily despite the frequent rain and constant wind. A little snow wasn't anything worse than rain.

_Mobliz…Terra…_

He looked down at the table, his heart beating faster as the thought of his friend brought back images from his nightmare. He shivered and raised his bare feet from the cold floor, resting them on the chair opposite him, in an attempt to stave off the chill. It didn't work. He just sat there and shivered, his eyes focused on the grain of the wood table.

What could have brought on that nightmare? It had been a long time since he'd seen anything so horrible, and the fact that it was centered around Terra made it even worse. He hadn't seen her in months, in fact he hadn't even thought of her. He'd come home and surrounded himself with Celes. She'd jumped on him the moment he'd walked in the front door. Asked him a thousand questions, which he answered as best he could, and then they settled back into their comfortable life.

He'd been able to winterize the house quickly, and had even saved up enough to white wash the bedroom walls and get some new blankets for the bed. He had done well, he told himself, and Celes seemed happy to have him home. But she had pawed at him at dinner last night to paint the guestroom. She wanted to change it entirely, make it more welcoming. She had dropped hints the rest of the night alluding towards having a baby.

He'd maneuvered his way out of the discussion each time it came up, but it had gripped at him the rest of the evening. She was ready, past the point of ready, and she was getting annoyed very quickly. But, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't talk about it. He just scuttled underneath the proverbial table and refused to answer her questions. How much longer would she put up with it before outright demanding an answer? And if that wasn't enough, she was pushing the marriage subject again, outright pushing this time. She had asked him a few days ago if he wanted to get married, but he hadn't answered. She would walk out on him soon if he didn't answer her soon, would walk out anyway if he told her the truth. The simple truth that he didn't know if he wanted to marry her. He loved her, that was certain, but he just didn't know.

_Goddess what's wrong with me?_ He thought, leaning over the table and putting his face in his hands. He didn't know what to do anymore. He'd wanted to leave Mobliz so badly a few months ago and come home, but lately he wanted nothing more than to leave Kohlingen again. Leave and go where was the question. Back to Mobliz? They'd invited him back and he swore he'd return, but he didn't want to show up on Terra's doorstep looking like a lost puppy.

_Terra…_

Raising his head, he looked to the window again, caught up in the frost on the window. It'd be pouring everyday now in Mobliz, and she'd be spending time in the orphan's rooms, telling stories and making clothing for the months ahead. They'd all be cuddled up around the hearth, just spending time together and enjoying themselves. So, why the nightmare about them? It didn't make any sense.

And Terra…

A cold fist of fear for his friend gripped at his heart. What horror could possibly do that to a person? He'd seen his friends turn into zombies with the swipe of a monsters claw. But magic had faded, and he'd never seen a zombie that looked like that. And that slime. He shuddered. He tried to wrap his head around what he saw, but kept getting caught up in the sight of Jacoby lying lifeless on the floor at his mother's feet, the slime stretching around him in a pool.

And Terra, full of gaping holes that would never heal. And that hole in her belly, that great gaping pit, what had that meant? Had that been a reflection of his fear of having a child? But then, if that were the case, would it not have been Celes that he saw? Or were there other factors at work that he had yet to determine?

He shook his head again and pushed himself back from the table, getting to his feet. He shivered in the chill and slipped into the living room to grab his boots. He tucked his bare feet into the leather and pulled the back door open, slipping out into the bitter cold.

The night was clear, a thousand stars hanging overhead like tiny diamonds in a velvet gown. The moon had gone down, signaling the approach of dawn, but the silver starlight lit up the snow well enough. He walked out into the yard, his arms wrapped about himself as his boots crushed through the thin layer of snow. Anya's stall was not far from the back door and he walked into the warmth of the small building shortly. Anya slept peacefully, curled up on her blankets, breathing slowly. It was dark it was dark, so he took the flint and steel from the bucket beside the door and lit the large candle just inside the door.

Once his eyes adjusted, he walked across the little stable and kneeled beside the little brazier, poking at the coals within with a metal rod, trying to warm the air a little more. Anya warbled behind him, awakened by the light from the candle. He looked at her over his shoulder and offered a smile as she got to her feet, blinking at him over the stall door.

"Hey there, baby girl." He said, rising. He slipped over to the stall and raised a hand to rub at her great beak. She warbled again and leaned against the door, gazing at him steadily, her sapphire eyes glimmering in the light of the candle. "You warm enough?"

She was silent as he moved his hand to her neck, gently stroking her feathers lovingly. Her feathers were warm enough, keeping heat close to her body to stave off the chill. He reached for the latch after a moment, opening the door so he could slip inside. Anya backed up to give him room as he shut the door. Turning to her, he reached up to rub at the softer feathers beneath her wing. She warbled and nudged him with her beak, pushing him to the back of the stall.

"Alright, alright." He chuckled, lifting the blankets from the floor and draping them over his shoulders. "Come on then."

The chocobo ruffled her feathers and stretched her neck out, giving it and her wings a good shake before lowering herself to the ground again. He plopped down on the floor beside her, throwing the blanket over himself as he settled against her side. She settled her head on the floor and blinked up at him for a moment before letting her eyes closed, still tired enough to sleep. He smiled at her and slipped a hand out from beneath the blanket to rub at her head.

Leaning back, he stared up at the softly lit ceiling, wondering at his predicament. He cuddled closer to Anya and dropped his gaze as she gave a great sigh. He felt sleep tugging at his mind despite the fear of another nightmare and allowed his eyes to close, lulled to rest by Anya's deep breathing. He'd just shut his eyes for a moment and not worry about anything.

--

_He slammed against the wall of the little house as fire erupted in the air above the village. Spots danced before his eyes as the concussion from another explosion knocked him back again and deafened him for the briefest of moments. The smell of burning cloth and hair choked him, the smoke accompanying the stench leaving him gagging._

_The laughter._

_That Goddess damned laughter echoed across Thamasa and even the ringing in his ears couldn't block it out. And among it all, the sound of a dozen espers all screaming at once as Kefka compressed them into Magicite crystal. Non-esper voices cried out in terror and denial as Kefka turned his Magitek Knights onto the town around him, sending the residents fleeing. They rushed past him in a wave, screaming as the Magitek Knights threw multicolored beams of energy after them, laying waste to everything in their path._

_A single shout sounded above the cacophony as Leo rushed at the devil in clown's clothing, a last valiant attempt to save the espers. He looked up as the light from Leo's shock erupted in the center of town, nearly blinding him. But Kefka only laughed and knocked the shock aside as though it were nothing, and vanished in the blink of an eye, a veil of magic hiding him from view. A moment later, his voice echoed from everywhere at once, echoing off the stones themselves as he called up a barely solid image of the empire's wicked leader. _

_Locke reached forward, trying to grab at an upheaved cobblestone trying to pull himself up. He had to stop the devil, had to fight beside Leo. But his heart stopped as Kefka appeared once more in a flash of golden light and dove towards the brave general, forcing a dagger through his rib cage in a single thrust. Leo coughed once and fell back to the cobblestone, a pool of blood expanding beneath him as Kefka's laughter turned hysterical._

_And then the ground was shaking beneath him, a rush of iridescent energy dousing the land in waves. The force of the magical blast blew through him, shaking his very bones and leaving him disoriented and cold. He shook as another wave raced through him, a cold sweat breaking out across his freezing flesh as his stomach tried to turn over._

_Kefka was saying something, but he couldn't hear it over the stamping feet of the Magitek Armor and the screams of the villagers. And then, the sky was flooded with the shadowy shapes of a thousand espers all shrieking in rage. They shot across the village and dove at Kefka in droves claws extended and teeth gnashing. Those that had no claws hung back in the sky, hurling blasts of magic downward, not aiming in any way, shape or form._

_He curled in on himself as the blasts fell all about him, ripping up the very earth itself, raining rock and dirt on top of him. He heard someone beside him on the ground scream, a female. He shifted his hand away from his face looking in the direction of the cry. It was Relm, curled in a ball, a livid bruise already spreading across her cheek, a good-sized rock lying on the ground beside her. _

_Locke raised his head enough to pull himself toward the terrified girl, touching her shoulder to alert her to his presence. Relm looked at him, her green eyes wide with terror as tears leaked from them, trailing muddy streaks down her face. Locke forced himself up onto his hands and knees as quickly as he could on the shaking ground and threw himself atop the shaking girl, curling around her as rocks and soil rained down across his back. She screamed and gripped his arm, burying her face in the ground as another explosion rocked the earth, the ground ten feet away from them erupting upwards. He held her tightly, forcing her closer to the cobbles and covering up her face and head with his right arm while his left tried to protect his own. He jerked as a hail of sharp stones rained atop him, cutting into the flesh of his bare arms and digging into the unprotected portions of his head. Relm screamed as she uncovered her face for a moment to glance at the blood that had dripped down her arms and into her shirt._

"_Locke! Oh Goddess! Locke don't die!" She cried, tears pouring down her cheeks. He groaned and squeezed her closer as blood dripped down his face. He muttered something he hoped was comforting and just hung on to her._

_Kefka's laughter resounded over the cries of the espers as a blast of hellfire shot upwards from his general direction. Cries of rage were replaced with shrieks of agony as an untold number of espers burst into flame, compressing into crystal in an instant. He hadn't thought it possible, but the cacophony increased in volume as the Magitek Knights turned their weapons to the sky, firing volley after volley of energy into the writhing mass. There was a great pounding behind them as espers both dead and alive crashed to the ground. Those that lived got to their feet and stampeded inwards towards the village, the ground shaking beneath them._

_A sudden movement to his left made him look up, blinking quickly in an attempt to clear the blood from his eyes, but his bandana had soaked through and just kept dumping blood into his face. He watched as a flash of green that could only be Terra leapt up from the ground as the charging espers rushed ever closer. There was a flurry of movement as she ripped her red dress from her shapely frame, throwing it to the ground as she raced towards the charging espers, barely escaping her boots and tights before a flash of brilliant light obscured her naked figure from view. The flash was so bright, it took him a moment to clear the dancing spots from his eyes and search the grounds for his friend._

_She stood behind them, Celes lying unconscious at her feet, facing the charging mass of magical creatures, a light that could only be considered holy shining from her figure. She stood proudly, her esper glow gentle despite the oncoming horror and the shrill laughter of the devil himself. Terra raised her glowing hands before her, palms out and braced her legs as the gleaming blue light of a high powered protect spell spread out before her and trailed overhead, covering the group in a pod of light. The charging espers spilt around them, rushing past the spell like a river. The air was alive with the pure energy of the spell, setting Locke's skin tingling as the air became saturated with the sheer power Terra's body was emitting. He'd never seen anything so powerful in his life and could only stare in awe. But despite it's strength, the spell could only turn aside the espers, not protect against the rain of rock that followed their charge as Kefka blasted at them with his newly acquired Magicite. She turned a glance at him over her shoulder, a faint light of fear for him in her crimson gaze as he hand to cover his head once more._

_Terra whirled about, her long white hair tumbling about in an ethereal wind as the esper horde moved completely into the village, leaving the group behind. She raced past him, coming to stand a few feet away just as the spell began to fail. Raising her hands once more, the blue light turned green as the protect spell was replaced by the strongest reflect spell Locke had ever seen. Emerald energy hung in the air about them like a curtain between the group and Kefka, so thick, he could barely see through it._

_Kefka cackled as the last wave of the esper charge vanished beneath his magical barrage, their crystals floating to him and gathering at his feet in a pile. The devil in gold looked skywards, the brilliant feather in his lustrous hair catching the sunlight beautifully. The crystals at his feet glowed as he raised his hands skyward to the last remaining espers. The creatures screamed in terror and pain as the first flickers of a middle class bolt spell danced around his fingertips._

_The clown cried the spell, sending the lightning upwards, engulfing the espers in a web of agony, sending them tumbling to the earth below. Some crystallized in the air, others after the impact with the ground killed them. Relm began to scream again as an esper fell to the ground near them, trying to lift its head, its broken jaw hanging slack for the briefest of seconds before pulling away completely as it surged to its feet. It took a shuddering step forward before collapsing, crystallizing as it fell. Locke found himself screaming with her as the crystal joined the others at Kefka's feet._

_Kefka turned to face them as the last Magicite came to him, an insane grin curling his painted lips as his eyes fell upon Terra and her spell. He said something to the half esper and raised his hands again, but Terra shook her head and remained silent. It struck Locke then that Kefka might have been able to reduce Terra to Magicite if it were possible. If that happened, Locke would just about die. He'd grab up her crystal before Kefka could take her and the clown would have to kill him to take her away. _

_Light flickered about Kefka again as he prepared to attack. Terra braced, her hands rising once more. Terror gripped at Locke's heart as Kefka's hands came up and he cried his spell, the Magicite at his feet all-shining at once. The shield would never hold; Terra was going to die. _

_Locke threw Relm aside and rocketed across the ground, never actually gaining footing on the broken ground. He heard Relm scream behind him as his arms wrapped about Terra's thin waist dragging her down with him. The reflect spell dissipated above them as they fell to the ground, Kefka's massive energy blast shooting over them in a flash of heat and color. _

_The devil cried out in rage, stamping his feet and throwing the temper tantrum of a lifetime. Terra shifted beneath him, raising an ethereal hand to gently push him aside, settling his bleeding form back against the grass. She got to her feet, her hair fluttering about her white figure once more as she turned to face Kefka. She raised a hand in Kefka's direction, aiming a finger at him. The clown just blinked at Terra in confusion uncertain of what to expect. But Terra said nothing as the holy glow about her increased in strength, becoming a goddess-like brilliance. Kefka shrieked as a blast of non-elemental energy shot forth from Terra's body, aimed through that single finger._

"_Get thee hence!"_

_Locke would forever swear he heard her speak, but the words were in his bones, heart and mind, not in his ears. Spots danced before his eyes once more as he faded in and out of consciousness. When he finally regained some semblance of awareness, he was still lying on the ground, covered in his own blood, but Kefka had gone. _

_A shadow fell over him then, and as he turned his head to look up, Terra stood over him, glowing in all her esper beauty. She looked down at him, the features of her body masked by that ethereal glow. She knelt beside him on her toes, her heels constantly raised as the bones of her feet always shifted, raising her heels when she became an esper. She looked to him, her facial features undistinguishable beneath that ethereal light. Red eyes focused in on his blue ones as she raised a long fingered hand to his face, her skin warm against his battered skin. _

_Terra's eyes were comforting as she held a hand over him; the soft blue-green light of a cure spell emanating from her sharply nailed fingertips. A sensation of pins and needles covered his bruised body as the light spread across him healing him wounds as best it could. But, he was left dizzy as the spell could only seal up tears, not replace his blood. She gripped at his shoulder, helping him to sit up and look her in the face._

_A frail pink tint highlighted the edges of her face, and the shadows of her hair and figure, but she was left mostly featureless in the holy glow. Though he couldn't see it, he could feel her smile as she raised a hand to touch the side of his face once more her flesh soft and warm. He reached out hesitantly, uncertain if she would stop him, and settled his hand on her cheek, rubbing gently with his thumb, a smile tugging at his lips. Terra breathed deeply, a faint sound not unlike the sound of a choir of children edging just beneath his consciousness as she exhaled._

_Terra was a marvel before him, an angel on earth as her light fluctuated around them, bathing them in that delicate glow. A goddess among espers, she rose, her fingers trailing on his face as his own trailed down her body as she came to stand over him. _

"_Wait." He whispered as she made to step away. "Please, don't go."_

_Terra turned to him once more as his hand fell away, her head tilting to the side sending her hair cascading over one shoulder. She blinked slowly, her red eyes gleaming as she curled a hand at her breast waiting patiently. But he said nothing, lost for words in the glow of her beauty. He'd give anything…_

_But she turned again reaching for her discarded clothing as the glow faded from her skin, leaving her human once more. She cast a glance back at him over her shoulder, her emerald hair tossed lovingly about by the summer breeze before she began to dress once more, the moment lost forever._

_--_

Locke awoke as a stray beam of sunlight drifted in through the window high in the stable wall. Anya raised her head to look at him, her sapphire eyes shining in the morning light. Locke stayed beside her, wrapped up in his blanket, unwilling to move as he bathed in the afterglow left by his memory.

He blinked blearily, staring up at the ceiling as he yawned. Anya cooed at him, ruffling up her feathers to stave off the cold. He looked at her through hazy eyes, cuddling into her neck.

"I need to go back." He said, closing his eyes. "I want to see her."

Anya warbled, stretching her neck out and giving it a good shake. Locke sat up as she shifted about, ready to get up for the day. Pushing the blanket off, Locke got up allowing the great yellow bird to rise behind him. He unlatched the stable door and pushed it open, allowing Anya to slip past him. She flapped her wings twice to stretch them before ambling out the stable door into the bright sunlight, her feather ruffled against the chill.

"Saddle up, girly." He said to the bird as he stepped out into the snow, his breath misting before him. "We're going back to Mobliz."

--

**Five years, nine months, one week, three days, four hours, eighteen minutes since the death of Kefka Palazzo.**

The road shot beneath him in a broad brown streak, the pelting rain turning the normally hard packed earth into loose mud in a matter of minutes. Locke groaned as he gripped at Anya's reigns, the bird warbling at the tightening of her bindings. He guided her off the road and into a small copse of trees.

He crawled off her back the moment she stopped and flopped down onto the only dry patch of earth he could find, throwing his pack off. He rolled to his back, laying a hand over his hateful stomach and shut his eyes. Anya warbled at him again as she came to stand beside him, nudging him in the knee. He moaned and pushed her beak away before draping his soaked arm over his eyes.

Damn his idiocy, he thought as he lay there. The moment he'd gotten off the boat early that morning, he took off. He hadn't even spared the few hours it would take to get used to being on land again. Seasickness was quite possibly the worst affliction he had faced in the entirety of his life, and if he never set foot on a boat again, he'd be the happiest man alive. The ride had been worse this time, despite the fact that it took less than ten hours. The winter storms had tossed the seas, and even though he hadn't eaten the whole day, his stomach had still found some way to rebel.

He groaned again, cursing himself as he rolled onto his side, rubbing at his forehead to try and keep it from throbbing. He needed to eat, but he just didn't have the gut for it. His temples throbbed as he shivered beneath his soaked cloak. His muscles cramped up from the chill and he curled up on his side, Anya nudging at him again.

Finally coming to terms with her pet not being able to move, Anya settled down beside Locke, saddlebags and all. She stretched her neck out, giving it a good shake before setting her head down, allowing herself a moment to rest as Locke lay there quietly, gripping at his stomach.

--

_He reached for the burned chest, sweating from the heat of the cavern. His lungs and eyes burned from the harsh fumes the lava far beneath him was spitting. He wiped at his eyes, wishing for the entire world that he had his bandana. Putting his hands on the edges, he found the metal to be blessedly cool despite the heat of the volcanic vents. Despite its cool state, the metal had been so badly burned, that the metal had partially fused._

_Taking his hands away, Locke dug in his belt pouch for a chisel. Finding the thickest, he bent and searched the ground for a good-sized rock. He'd lost his hammers less than a year ago, giving them up to buy a cloak. He picked up what he thought was a chunk of granite and turned to break open the chest._

"_Locke!" Startled by the cry, he turned, chisel raised in defense. He was barreled almost over as a blonde flash slammed into him like a train, knocking him back a few steps as she threw her arms about him._

"_Celes!" He said, as the shock faded. His heart pounded in his chest as Celes looked to him, her blue eyes wide and brimming with tears she was struggling to keep back. She sniffed and buried her face in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. She shook against him, letting her tears fall silently as she clung to him._

_Surprised, he just held her, surprised by her reaction. It had been a year yes, but this was not the Celes he remembered. She seemed to have softened a good deal, as though she'd finally accepted that she did have an emotional side and was willing to show it. She whispered into his chest that she'd thought he had died when the airship fell, but he barely heard any of it. She was an absolute wreck, soaked with sweat and finally crying as she handed him his lost bandanna._

_Her reaction…could she possibly…no. Romantic love just wasn't something he expected from her._

_He was drawn away from his thoughts as Edgar and Sabin barreled around the corner, tripping over each other comically as they ran to them._

"_Locke! You hound of Hades!" Sabin cried, the biggest grin Locke could swear he'd ever seen spreading across the martial artist's handsome face. "Do you have any idea how long we've been looking for you?"_

_Locke laughed, keeping his arms around the still shaking general as Edgar righted himself, throwing off his now heat destroyed cape. With a huff, Edgar straightened, tossing his sweat soaked ponytail over his shoulder before whipping about and rushing at the treasure hunted. Celes barely got out of the way and Edgar grabbed Locke about the shoulders and forced him to bend forward, planting a fist in the crown of his head and rubbing it into his scalp._

"_Gah! Stop it you royal pain in my ass!" Locke said loudly, trying to heave Edgar off of him. The king just laughed and let Locke straighten, but not before grabbing Locke's head and planting a kiss on the top of his head despite his hair being soaked with sweat. "Ah Goddess! Will you stop? I thought you'd have given up by now!"_

"_Given up?" Edgar said incredulously, clapping Locke hard across the back. "You damned thief, Hades himself couldn't take you out."_

_Locke coughed as a number of people shuffled carefully around the corner, weapons drawn to fend off an attack. He slowly recognized them one by one, it took him a while though as the end of the world had not been kind to any of them. There was Cyan, standing proudly in the front, nodding to him with a grin despite the bleeding cut on his cheek. Relm jumped up and down waving at him, Gau jumping beside her in imitation. Strago clapped his hands, laughing as he boomed a hello. Behind him, Celes grabbed onto his hand as Edgar released him finally, though he stayed close. _

_But, as he looked about, he found that not everyone was there in the group. There were three missing. He searched the crowd, his smile gone, desperately looking for his missing friends. _

_There!_

_A black spot against the wall shifted as Shadow raised a hand in greeting, staying against the wall. Locke found himself returning the greeting, surprised to receive any form of acknowledgement from the quiet man. But still, where were…?_

_They came around the corner a moment later, Setzer tucking his cards into his long coat as Terra tucked her pitted sword back into its ill fitting sheath. She looked up at him, a light laugh escaping her as he grinned down at her, waggling his eyebrows. He stopped first, noticing the gathered crowd and laying an arm across Terra's chest in case something had happened. Terra walked right into his arm, wrapping her hands around it as she stumbled slightly. She looked up at him in confusion, but noticing his stare, she looked to the gathered group, raising an eyebrow._

"_Guys, what's…?" She stopped mid-sentence, looking at him through the crowd, her hands on Setzer's arm, fingers digging into the leather of his sleeve. She opened her mouth to say something, but an excited Relm rushing across the rough floor, Gau in tow, cut her off. _

_Locke released Celes' hand and held his arms out to the young artist. Relm squealed and jumped into his arms, babbling about how excited she was to see him. He picked her up and spun her about, grinning as she laughed. She kissed him on the cheek, and he to hers as he set her down._

"_We thought you were gone!" She piped, looking up at him as he reached out to Gau, meshing his fingers with the wild boy, palm to palm, the only thing the boy would accept as a true gesture of friendship. Gau had never believed in the handshake, and that was just fine with Locke._

"_Nah," He said, squeezing at Gau's fingers before the boy pulled away. "If Kefka, a few hundred crazed espers and a few psychos in Magitek armor couldn't kill me, you think the end of the world could? Please…"_

_Relm laughed as she gave him another hug, kissing his cheek again. She stepped back as the others came forward one by one, shaking hands and giving hugs. He wasn't one for this much love and hugs, but given the circumstance, he couldn't have been happier. Celes was a constant at his side, asking questions and smiling her beautiful smile. His head spun, seeing them all again, seeing them safe and well._

_They asked him to join up with them again, and he said yes without hesitation. With them back, he felt purpose in his life. Seeing them meant that the world had a chance again. They wanted to leave, but he stopped them, returning to the chest. He took up his chisel again and cracked into the burned box._

_Light spilled from within, bathing him in the ethereal light of the Magicite crystal hidden inside. He reached in gently, pulling the treasure from within. The group peered over his shoulder as he cradled the tiny red crystal in the palm of his had, eyeing the phoenix shaped shadow adorning the crystal. But as he looked at it, his heart sank. It was covered with great gaping cracks, a few of them cut halfway through._

_But how? How could this have happened? And would it even work? This couldn't happen to him, not now! _

_Locke tucked it into his pocket before they could see. He choked back his sorrow and turned, painting a smile on his face. They looked at him, grinning and asking if he'd got what he came for. He said he did and looked through them to the back of the cavern. Terra, Setzer and Shadow remained at the back, having not come forward to greet him. The three of them weren't much for crowds and usually stayed out of the better portion of the group, but he'd have thought they'd be glad to see him._

_As he looked to them, Setzer nodded, raising a gloved hand to brush his sweat soaked hair from his face before looking back down at Terra and saying something. She smiled up at him, brushing her emerald ponytail back over her shoulder, eyeing it, her brow furrowed with annoyance as she shook her fingers free of what could only be sweat. She said something then and Setzer shook his head, chuckling._

_Terra turned her head to look at the group then, but focused in on him when she saw that they had his attention. She smiled warmly, her amethyst eyes glimmering in the dull light. The half-esper crossed her arms over her chest and turned to face him fully, one emerald eyebrow raised as her smile turned into more of a satisfied smirk. She nodded to him, a few strands of sweat soaked hair escaping to stick to her pale cheeks._

"_Welcome home…" She mouthed, before turning back to Setzer, starting up her conversation with him again. She motioned to Shadow, holding something out to him, a soft smile curling her lips. The ninja stepped away from his wall and took the item with a nod._

_Home… She was right, this was home. __**They**__ were his home._

_All Locke could do was stare at her as the group hovered around him and Celes gripped at his hands, saying things to him that he didn't actually hear. He just watched her as she laughed and paid him almost no mind. He lost himself in the way she planted her hands on her shapely hips and the sound of her light laugh, ringing like a bell._

_Perhaps it was because she had not come to greet him that he found himself staring, but at that moment he couldn't draw himself away, despite the laughter around him and the beautiful woman clinging to him. He even forgot for the briefest of moments the Magicite and his precious Rachel, waiting for him in Kohlingen._

_If he could just…_

_--_

Locke awoke suddenly, the memory trailing off in his mind, almost forgotten. He sat up slowly, his head surprisingly clear. He took a deep breath, the chill air revitalizing him. Anya warbled beside him as she lifted her head, blinking her great sapphire eyes clear of sleep. He smiled and raised a hand at her damp feathers before slowly getting to his feet.

When his stomach didn't do anything to bother him, he stretched, raising his arms over his head. He settled as Anya got to her feet, stretching her wings and flexing her legs. She cooed at him, rubbing her beak into his chest, looking up at him with worried eyes. He smiled and rubbed at her beak.

"Come on doll," He said. "I want to make Mobliz before evening."

Anya whistled as he heaved himself up into the saddle, taking up the reigns. Anya set out without any urging. The rain had blessedly stopped while he'd been sleeping, so she took quickly to the road, picking up a steady gallop.

Anthem came into sight an hour later, the warm glow of its lights a welcome sight on the drab plains as it began to drizzle once again. They rode into the town as the drizzle became a downpour, sending the people on the streets running for cover. Lightning flashed overhead, followed by a roll of thunder that brought back a shudder of remembrance from his nightmare. He ducked Anya into the stable as another peal of thunder shook the sky.

"Great Goddess!" He said as he climbed out of the saddle. Anya balked as the groom came forward, reaching or the reigns.

"It's ok, doll." Locke said, patting her side. "We need to get you dry."

Anya nibbled at his sleeve before letting the groom take her off to a stall, stripping her of her tack. Locke stood by the door, staring out at the downpour, tucking his soaked cloak about himself. If the rain continued like this, they'd have to stay in Anthem for the night.

" 'Tis just a squall, sir." The young groom said from across the stable. "It'll pass in a few minutes."

"Let's hope." Locke replied, staring out at the rain.

As he stood there, it struck him how foolish this trip was. Celes had been livid with him when he told her he was leaving. He'd told her he was going to Figaro for a few days. And he had gone to Figaro, but only for a day. He caught up with Edgar and Sabin, who were quite interested in Locke's time spent with Terra. He left the next morning, without telling them where he was going, and made straight for the port.

He sighed, remembering the look on Celes' face when he'd left. She had said that it was too close to Yuletide and that he needed to stay home. Locke had promised her that he'd only be gone for a week, give or take a few days. And he meant it. He wouldn't stay long. He couldn't.

Shaking his head, Locke raised his eyes to the sky as the rain began to let up, just as the groom had said. He tossed the groom a few coins and stepped out into the town, keeping his cloak about him. As he walked the streets, he kept an eye out, looking for any shops that would aid him in his plan. With a sigh, he ducked under the low overhang of a small shop, stepping into the warmth with a sigh. The older gentleman behind the counter grinned and rose from his seat, his wizened face gentle in the dim light.

"What can I do for ya?" He asked, his voice like fine honey in the warm air.

"I need candy." Locke said looking about at all the little pots and jars sitting up on the shelves behind the counter. A thousand different colors shone back at him in the golden light. Candies of every flavor he could imagine whispering their sweetness at him from their little jars. A broad smile found his lips as he began pointing out candies he'd like and watching as the man measured them out into small bags.

"My Goddess, son." The man said in surprise at the amount of candy on the desk before him. "What do you need all of this for?"

"I've got kids that need presents, my good sir. Fifteen of them in fact." He grinned broadly as he counted coins, setting them on the table before him. He'd taken time on his way here, drifting in and out of forests and hills, gathering as much money as he could, his grand scheme taking shape before him. The candy wasn't cheap, but he was pleased to find that he had more than enough gold left to keep shopping.

"Fifteen?" The older man asked incredulously.

"Yes, sir." Locke said, tucking the little bags into a larger that the man had offered. "A whole village full." He bid the old man goodbye just as it dawned on the gentlemen what Locke had meant about having fifteen children. As Locke started across the street, the man came to stand before his shop and called to him.

"Bless you, sir!" Came the shout across the street. "Goddess lay favor on you!"

Locke just smiled as he turned down a side street, keeping an eye out for anything that might peak his interest. The children were cared for, but that left the adults. He stopped outside a weapons shop, peeking within before ducking inside. He came out a few minutes later, new knives and tools for the men tucked into another bag at his belt.

The rain stopped again as he came back out onto the main street, looking it up and down. But, despite his search, he could find nothing close to what he sought. He set off down another side street, keeping an eye over his shoulder as he walked. Anthem didn't seem like a place to harbor thieves, but one could never be too careful. He chuckled at the thought. He was certain that he was the only real threat to the people's purses in this town.

He spied a shop at the end, the beads and combs in the window drawing his attention. He peered in at the little shop for a moment before slipping within. It was warm within the little accessory shop, the large candles set at well-placed intervals around the room adding to the rich feel. He turned away from these and made for the far wall, nodding in greeting to the young lady behind the counter. She nodded back at him, one eyebrow raised in suspicion as he walked past her. He stopped before a set of shelves, poking through the wide array of brushes and combs, selecting those he thought the ladies would like best. He looked down at the brushes in his hand, they were so simple, he ached to give his friends something so base. Turning, he looked across the shop, his brow knit as he looked about.

Spying a small selection of flower-scented soaps beside the counter, he bent and picked through them. They were good sized for their price and he picked up one for each, choosing the flower he thought suited each lady the best. But, he had trouble when it came to Terra, none of these suited her. He'd never known her to wear perfume, but he had to find her something. He'd been so struck by the fact that she smelled of nothing but harsh soap that it had tugged at his mind.

Shaking his head, he turned to the woman at the counter, allowing her to wrap things for him. He rubbed at his stubbly chin as he looked about the little room again, trying to ignore her glances. Apparently he had just gone from suspicious to attractive. As he looked about in the dim lighting he spied a flash of color against the wall behind the counter. They were brightly colored necklaces of varying lengths, flashing in the soft lighting.

"Hey, can I see one of those?" He asked. The young woman smiled and nodded reaching over to grab one of the long necklaces. She brought it to the counter, setting it atop a length of fabric designed to protect it from the wood.

"They're dyed pearls. Not very expensive, and not worth very much." She said honestly, removing a softer cloth from beneath the counter and brushing it over the pearls, sweeping away any dust that might have gathered. He didn't care much about their price or worth; they were lovely for anything like that to matter. The pearls before him were a rich royal blue, a color his mother would have killed for. The necklace was perfect, but the color was not.

"Do you have one in red or purple? And green if possible." He inquired. She nodded, taking up the blue strand and returning it to the wall. She sifted through the gathered necklaces for a moment before returning with a small selection. There were several strands of green but only two purple and one red. He set the red aside instantly, it just wasn't right. He selected the pearls for Celes instantly. They were amazing. Three short strands of peridot green strung together in a choker. She'd adore them.

He smiled as he handed them to the young woman who cleaned them and set them into their own little box, wrapping it in tissue and tying it up with a green ribbon. He turned his attention to the pair of purple strands. The first was nothing special, a single strand choker, not nearly as lovely as the green. The second was truly a beautiful piece, a single strand, sixty-four inches long and shining a rich purple that reminded him instantly of Terra's eyes. He picked it up, holding it to the light, watching it shine. She could wrap this about her neck a few times and let the rest hang, a classical look. He smiled as he handed this to the woman as well.

After she wrapped this as well, he paid for the gifts and inquired as to wear he could find a perfume shop. She directed him to a little shop just down the street as he tucked the items away in his bag. He left with a wave and started off down the street, finding it easily. It was a much higher priced ship, relic quality jewelry set behind little windows in the wall. An older woman in a soft brown dress came to him instantly, inquiring as to what he needed. He asked for gardenia perfume first, Celes' favorite, it wasn't often she would spend money on perfume, using mostly scented soaps. She'd love it.

He allowed her to take it to the counter as he browsed about the shop, going over their perfume selection several times, but finding nothing to match Terra. He sighed and stepped back, as the woman came up behind him again asking what he needed.

"I need something darker, she's not like my girlfriend at all." He said, blushing under her suspicious gaze. "No, it's not like that, she's just a very close friend, it's my girlfriend you have to worry about when it comes to her." He chuckled nervously as the woman's suspicion faded. "I need something gentle but...oh I don't know. I might as well get her grave-flowers." It struck him like a bolt from the blue. That was it! That was what he was looking for, that dark husky fragrance fitted her beautifully.

"Grave-flowers?" The woman asked, eyes wide. Locke blushed again under her look. He nodded meekly and she looked over her shoulder towards a door at the back of the shop. She motioned for him to follow, slipping through the door into a dark side room.

He found himself in a tiny chamber strung with black drapery and lit by a single candle. It took him a moment to realize exactly where he was, the human skull on the single shelving unit a dead give away. He shook his head, laughing at his predicament and he fingered a pair of leather wrist restraints hanging on the wall beside him. The woman bustled about the shelving unit, brushing bottles aside. She came up a moment later, a slim glass bottle in her hand. It wasn't very big at all, but as she held it to him, the tiny sculpted grave flower adorning the cap sealed it for him. She handed him a small bar of soap in the same scent and ushered him out of the little room. He grinned like a fool as she wrapped the gifts, tucking them away in his bag for him as he handed her the gold.

He left quickly, ready to hit the road again as the sun began to poke through the clouds, a white orb hidden away behind a thin veil. Hefting his bags, he headed for the stable at the edge of town. Anya hooted at him as he entered the dim stable, stretching her neck out to greet him. He set the bag aside as he reached for her saddle, grinning as she stamped her feet.

"Yes, doll." He said. "We'll be there in a few minutes."

The groom slipped past him to help settle the great golden bird into her tack, dodging around the excited flapping of her wings. She was ready in a matter of minutes, warbling and prancing as Locke struggled to tie the gift bag to the saddle. With no success, he settled for cradling it between him and Anya's neck as he rode. Hefting his pack, he crawled into the saddle and they were off, ready for the last twenty minutes of their journey.

Anya trotted peacefully through the town, head raised high, clapping he beak together as children pointed at her from underneath the cloth overhangs that had been raised against the rain. Locke carefully balanced the bag, one hand on it in the hopes that he wouldn't lose it in the ride. At Anthems border, Anya picked up a steady gallop, her long tail feathers raised behind her like a banner. He guided her out of the farmland and across the open plain, allowing her free reign among the rolling hills. The hills gave way to flat plain shortly thereafter and she took up a faster pace, whistling as she ran.

Mobliz came into sight within minutes, the village a dark streak against the gold and green of the plains. The orchards flashed past them, the trees looking skeletal without their leaves. Anya made to whistle as they passed the barren fields, but Locke shushed her, tugging on the reigns to slow her as they past the first burned out house. The village was quiet, the chill wind having sent all the children and adults downstairs during the day. The sun ran behind a wall of clouds as he came into the village square, casting the houses in gray and black. He shivered with remembrance of his nightmare and looked skywards. The clouds rolled along aimlessly, a pale gray as they began to drizzle more rain.

With a sigh, he looked from house to house. They were dark as there was no one within them, but he could hear laughter coming up from beneath Duane and Katrin's home. Smiling, he directed Anya towards the house, but looking past it, he found the windmill to be spinning. Odd, it was supposed to be locked down at this time of year. Locke directed Anya past the houses and up the hill, towards the mill. A warm light lit up the small window in the front of the mill, signifying the presence of someone within.

"Ho there!" He called as he stopped Anya a few feet from the closed door. There was a scrambling inside and a thump as someone jumped down from the raised loft within the stonewalls, they must have been watching the mill gears.

"It is too cold, keep your 'Ho there'." A familiar male voice uttered from within, just behind the door.

"Jacoby, open the door." Locke said with a laugh. The door flung wide as Jacoby ran out into the cold, no cloak on his back despite the chill.

"Locke! I-I…what…huh?" He stuttered as he ran to Anya's side, holding onto her reigns as Locke slipped out of the saddle, the loose mud squishing beneath his heavy boots. "What are you doing here?"

"Came for a visit." Locke said with a grin as Jacoby brushed his black hair away from his eyes. Locke shook his head; the young man was as skinny and pale as ever, his thin face looking gaunt in the gray light. He clapped the young man on the shoulder, drawing a grin out of the normally grim faced boy. "It's Yule season, boy. Why wouldn't I come?"

Jacoby stuttered around that question, but Locke could guess the answer. They hadn't believed him at all when he said he would come back. And he could understand why. His heart clouded for a moment and he rested a hand on Anya's side for comfort before looking up at the slowly turning mill.

"So what's going on? Why isn't it locked up?" Locke asked, pointing a gloved finger up at the mill.

"It froze up last year and we had to replace a few gears, so we've been opening it up once a week, getting a fire going in the hearth, trying to keep it warm." The younger man said with a shrug, wrapping his arms around himself in the cold. "Can we go inside?"

Locke laughed and nodded, tying Anya to a post by the door and moving within, into the warmth and glow of the little mill. The great gears spun before him, the main shaft spinning gently as the great blade overhead worked in the wind. Jacoby moved to the hearth, taking his cloak up off a small chair, draping it over his thin frame for warmth. He rubbed at his arms, making a face at Locke as he warmed himself. Locke chuckled and leaned against a worktable, allowing the door to close behind him.

"So, Jacoby how's life?" Locke asked with a cheeky grin. Jacoby gave him a look as he sat down in the little chair, draping his cloak over his bony knees.

"Good," He said with a sigh. "We got things winterized just before the rain started so we've been holding up well. Katrin's been laying down a lot more, so they've set her up a bed downstairs so she can stay with the little ones during their naps. She's doing much better though. It looks like we won't lose this one, Goddess willing."

"And your mother?" Locke asked, looking down at the floor.

"There are good days and bad ones." Jacoby said with another sigh. "They flip flop in number every week, but she never took well to the cold, so we're not surprised. She'll be alright."

"Is she down with the kids?" Locke asked, looking to the young man again.

"No, I saw her head home about half an hour ago and haven't seen her go back, she may be in the bath or resting. She's been having trouble with her lungs lately and Marian has been making her rest."

"Is she eating more?"

"No, we're lucky if she eats something at breakfast. But she eats at dinner, and we're happy just to see her eat."

Locke nodded, debating running down the hill to see her. But, if she was sleeping, he didn't want to wake her. He shrugged and rubbed at his arms, his damp clothes doing nothing to warm him.

"Go see her." Jacoby said suddenly. "Don't worry about it. She'd kill you for not seeing her first."

Locke laughed and agreed, clapping Jacoby on the shoulder once more. Jacoby held the door for him as he stepped out, closing the door as Locke untied Anya and led her down the hill. Anya tugged on her reigns at the sight of the stable and pushed her way inside as he opened the door. He lit the lantern in side and Anya flapped her wings, eager to escape her tack. He stripped her of it quickly, stepping aside as she shook from head to toe, throwing tiny water droplets and ruffling up her feathers. She stamped about, hooting her displeasure at the chill as he bent by the brazier and lit the coals within, blowing them to life. Anya drifted close to it, puffing up her feather to dry them as he opened a stall door, spreading out blankets within. The small stable was beginning to warm nicely as took up his pack and gift bag and filled a food bucket with oats for her. He left as she started to pick at the oats, shutting the door behind him.

The chill crept back into him as he struck out across the square, his boots squelching in the soupy mud. He looked up at Terra's little house, gazing steadily at the dark windows as a shudder trailed up his spine. Flickers of his nightmare flashed before him as he walked

…_stumbled…_

up the hill. A gentle roll of thunder echoes in the distance, a normally gentle sound that set his knees quaking. The door was shut, but thankfully unlocked as he gripped at the handle. A faint coughing came from within as he slowly opened the door as quietly as possible. He kicked off his boots inside the door, staring at it as he shut it. He swallowed hard before turning around, and setting his pack and bag down on the little sofa. The house was normal, albeit dark, but the

…_gray…_

blue drapes over the kitchen window settled his fears. The fire in the hearth had grown low, the charred wood within glowing faintly. Reaching over, he tugged a few smaller pieces out of the woodpile and threw them into the hearth before adding a large log as the fire came back. The house warmed slowly as he pulled the iron kettle from the shelf and filled it from the water bucket before hanging it on the little hook above the fire. He turned as a slight cough sounded from within Terra's bedroom.

He rose slowly and crept towards the door with light steps. It was slightly ajar, the glow of a single candle peeking around the edges. The light cough turned into a rough coughing fit, but not the great wracking ones he'd become used to. Terra sniffled and there was a shuffling as she sat up in bed.

"You can come in, Jacoby." She said quietly, her voice straining. "I'm dressed."

"Good," Locke said. "I'll tell him." He pushed the door open as she made a small sound of confusion. As the room was revealed, a knot came loose in his chest, the room was in order and there was thankfully, no slime. But there was the emptiness, not oppressive, but ever present, clawing at his mind and heart, threatening to anger him

"Hey, doll face." He said, coming around the door. She looked up at him, sitting up, her simple white shirt falling over one shoulder as her lips parted in surprise. She was pale in the glow from the candle, her long emerald hair mussed and tangled from her sleep, framing her too thin face. Her chest rose and fell weakly as she took a faint wheezing breath, crawling forward on the bed. Dressed indeed, Locke thought, she had nothing more than her under things and shirt on.

"Are you a hallucination?" She asked, looking up at him with bleary eyes as she crawled to the edge of the bed, her shirt falling tantalizingly further down her shoulder.

"No, I am the Ghost of Yuletide past." He said, grinning as he set a hand on his chest, sweeping out an arm and bowing with a flourish. She leaned closer as he straightened, amethyst eyes focusing in on his face. Her expression changed from one of wonder to one of seriousness as she raised a hand and without warning grabbed hold of his nose and tugged on it.

"Ow! Ow…Heeeey..let go!" He cried as she pulled down, forcing him to bend. She cranked on it harder, pulling him forward towards the bed. She raised an eyebrow at him as he pried at her fingers, trying to dislodge her. She released him suddenly, drawing her hands back as she sat up on the bed, her pale legs folded beside her.

"Ah, ow..." Locke groaned, rubbing at his nose. His eyes watered as he looked at her, desperately trying to glare at her around the pain. "What'd you do that for?"

"The hell of it." Was her simple, yet honest response as she looked to him, a satisfied smirk curling her bloodless lips. With her smirk, the emptiness fled, vanishing as though it were forced out, though it still hung at the very edges of the room, and in a thin patina around Terra. "What're you doing here? Please tell me you didn't bring Anya out in this cold."

"She's traveled through worse." Locke said with a shrug, sitting unbidden on the bed beside her. She scooted over for him, wrapping her legs up in her blankets.

"I don't care." She scoffed. "That doesn't mean you should have brought her out now. It's been pouring!" She waved a hand behind her towards her tiny window. It had become splattered with rain again in the time he'd been within.

"Well, what? You'd rather me stay away?" He asked, fixing her with a hard look, afraid that she would have preferred it. She blinked at him, amethyst eyes wide and lips parted once more.

"N-no…I-I."

"Then, shut up." Locke stated, smirking at her. He raised a hand to brush a stray tangle from her face; her skin was bitter cold despite being wrapped in her blankets.

He pulled his hands away, startled by the chill, a frown of worry on his lips. She blinked at him, confused by his reaction, true fear appearing in her eyes. Locke shook his head, taking up one of the blankets and wrapping it around her shoulders. She cuddled into it as he lay back on the bed, folding his hands behind his head.

"Locke?" Her voice was light in the chill air. He made a sound to the affirmative as he closed his eyes, inhaling deeply as the fire in the living room slowly warmed the house. "You're soaking wet."

"No, I'm damp. There's a difference." He stated, opening one eye and smirking at her.

"Mold doesn't differentiate." She stated gruffly, coming out from beneath her blanket and shoving her hands beneath his back. Locke squawked as she heaved upwards, rolling him off the bed and onto the cold floor.

"Get thee changed, knave." She said, pointing a finger towards her bedroom door. She stuck out her jaw, doing her best to imitate Edgar's lofty speech. "Lest ye catch your death."

"My death?" Locke asked, getting to his hands and knees, gazing up at her over the edge of the bed. She sat up straight, drawing her hand back and she looking down at him, her amethyst eyes sparkling. "Lady, the end of the world couldn't kill me; why would a little chill?"

Terra narrowed her eyes at him, getting to her ands and knees as well, getting into his face. His eyes widened as she came nose to nose with him, ducking down to his level.

"Perhaps not, but I will."

"Uh-huh." Was his simple, doubting response.

Locke had a moment to raise an eyebrow before Terra dove off the bed, her arms around his neck as he fell back. He squawked as her weight came down on him, forcing the air from his lungs. Terra smiled as she sat on him, crossing her legs to the side as she made herself comfortable on the cradle of his hips. He sighed as he looked up at her, setting a hand on her bare knee. She smiled down at him, back straight as she brushed her hair back over her shoulder. She looked comfortable sitting there, much moreso than she should, considering the positioning. A haughty smirk curled her thin lips as she folded her hands in her lap. She planted one foot on the floor beside him, the other crossed delicately over it at the knee, her small foot hanging in the air. She set a wrist atop her knee casually and looked down at him, her smirk growing as she raised an eyebrow.

"And that would be end game, my friend." She said, her voice strangely husky in the chill air. He nodded dumbly as he gazed up at her, sitting so perfectly, her thin white shirt hanging off her frame delicately enough to just outline the features beneath. She was like a statue of a goddess, carved by loving hands that gave her a pronounced collar bone and chose to leave the apex of her breasts standing beneath the thin drape of her shirt. She shifted slightly, almost deliciously, and tilted her head to the side, sending her mussed emerald hair hanging over one eye and gathering over one shoulder. He stared at her in wonder, eyes running her up at down as he set a hand on her hip, rubbing at it's sharp curve with a thumb.

"Come on," She said with a smile, patting his side as she pushed herself to her feet. His hand trailed on her leg as she stood, his body aching for her to return, tempted to do far too many things to that carved goddess. She offered him a delicate smile as she bent to help him up. "Do you have a change of clothes?"

"Yeah," He said, rubbing at he back of his head as he stood. He gripped at her chill fingers, unwilling to let go as she blinked at him. "They're in my pack. I've got the kettle on, so, I'll change and see to that. You go ahead and get dressed and I'll get you some tea."

She nodded as he turned away, fingers trailing as he released her hand. She pushed the door closed behind him as he grabbed his pack, tugging his spare clothes from within. Rain began to pelt the roof as he changed laying his wet clothes by the hearth so they would dry before they started to mold. The kettle had warmed nicely and he had a pair of steaming cups of lemon tea ready when Terra opened the door and stepped out, a sweater about her shoulders and a thick skirt wrapped about her waist. She sat down on the sofa as he brought her a cup, holding a handkerchief to her mouth as she yawned.

Locke smiled at her as she took a sip, warming her hands on the cup as he turned back to the kitchen. Spying a small batch of eggs resting on the counter, Locke tugged a worn frying pan down from a shelf, brushing off Terra's protests as he set the pan into the stone hearth to warm as he dug around for bread. Finding the loaf, he took it over and set it on a clean stone on the cook surface to warm as he cracked the eggs into the pan.

"Locke, let me..."

"Hush, woman." He said, cutting he off with a grin. "I can feed myself."

She grew quiet as he cooked, the smell of eggs and bread quickly filling the warm house. She raised her handkerchief and coughed into it, the sound meek against the patter of rain on the roof. He blinked at her over his shoulder as she took another sip from her tea. She closed her eyes as she drank with relish; lemon tea was her favorite.

Locke opened a cupboard and brought down two of the small earthenware plates hidden within, spooning eggs onto it. He cut a piece of the warm bread and tucked it beside the eggs before turning and putting the plate down on the table in front of Terra. She looked up at him, her brow knit together.

"Eat." Locke said, smiling as gently as he could, putting a small wooden fork down beside the plate. "You haven't had my eggs in a while, if I remember correctly."

"I seem to remember you calling them 'Man Eggs' or something." She said, hesitantly picking up her fork.

"Yep! Locke Cole's Man Eggs: for the man in you." He beat himself in the chest with a fist, fixing his gaze off into the distance like some legendary hero. Terra laughed and took a tiny bite. She blinked for a moment, the fork halfway between her mouth and the plate as she chewed and swallowed. She took up the plate and ate with relish, taking a sip of tea every few bites. She smiled as she ate, taking her time to enjoy it.

"I guess this makes me a man." She said with a laugh, before taking a bite of bread. "Terra Branford. A man among men."

Locke laughed as he spooned some bread and eggs onto a plate of his own, munching away on his meal happily, his bones finally throwing off their chill.

"Oh, I have something for the kids." He said between bites. Terra put her cup down and looked up at him, inquiring with a look. "Just something for Yuletide."

"W-what?" She asked, surprised. "You didn't have to."

"No," He said, gnawing on a bit of bread. "But I did anyway."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to. And I can't stay long. I promised Celes."

"I figured you couldn't." Terra said, dropping her gaze to the floorboards, her shoulders slumping. "Not with Yuletide so close."

Locke's brow knit at the way she slumped, her long hair falling over her shoulders. His own shoulders slumped, a tiny cloud forming in his heart at the thought of not seeing the kids at Yuletide. It must be a wonderful sight, fifteen kids gathered around a little tree, getting excited over presents that weren't very special or worth very much. A carved chocobo, a new pair of socks or shoes. Such little things brightening their whole year, he'd have loved to see it. And Terra, sitting beside the tree in the candlelight, in her best skirt, her hair up and a smile on her thin face as she balanced one of the little ones on her lap. He sighed at the mental image, finishing off his eggs.

"…give it to them today?"

"I'm sorry?" He asked, blushing. He'd been so caught up in the images that he hadn't been paying attention. She just smiled gently at him, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

"I said: Would you like to give them their gifts today?"

"Oh! Yeah, yeah sure. That'd be great. Can I get your approval first?" She nodded to him as he set his plate down, wiping his hand on his pants as he came to his travel pack. Terra smiled at him when she saw the back, raising her handkerchief to cover a weak, wet cough. "You ok?"

"Yeah." She said, watching as he opened the pack. "I did something stupid and ran out in the rain to grab more firewood. It was right at the end of Katrin's porch so I didn't grab my shoes or cloak. This'll go away soon. They've got me drinking so much tea and broth that I might pop."

Locke nodded, he could accept that. Broth was at least some intake of nutrients, so she'd come back from this soon, and hopefully gain a little weight. He reached into his pack and pulled out the bag, drawing the candy bags out from within. Terra gasped at the sight, curling a hand against her chest as she counted the bags under his broad grin.

"Goddess name Locke! You didn't have to do this! There's enough here for a year the way they're allowed sweets." She blinked, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as she looked to him. "This is...this…"

"It's nothing." He said, grinning. "They get what, one a week? The variation will keep them happy."

She nodded, her mouth working soundlessly in an attempt to find something to say. He chuckled and leaned over, pulling her close enough to kiss her temple. Her skin had warmed nicely from the food and fire, brightening his mood even further.

"You're welcome. And there's more." Terra mouthed the word 'more' at him as he reached into the bag, pulling out all the wrapped gifts, and grouping them by person. Terra just blinked at him, her lips parted as she gazed at the little piles, her eyes fighting tears. "I'd rather you open these after I left, Yuletide morning would be best." She nodded wordlessly, taking the gifts for her and Jacoby and hiding them in a drawer in her room.

" We should go see the kids." She said, coming back from the bedroom.

Locke smiled and nodded, tucking the gifts and candy back into the bag for transport. She came to him as he straightened, looking up at him with a smile before wrapping her arms about his neck. She wasn't much for physical contact, so her wrapped his arms about her slim frame gladly, feeling like a bear compared to how small she was. She clung to him, burying her face in his chest. He tightened his grip around her and picked her up of the floor. She squeaked as he spun about once before setting her down, keeping a hand on her hip, and she a hand on his chest.

"Come on you." He said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "We have kids to go surprise."

"We…" He barely heard the whispered word as he grabbed her hand and ran out into the rain with a laugh. It tugged at his mind like a siren call, the thought warm as it nagged in underneath the freezing rain.

_We…_

--

He had stayed naught but a week, leaving as quickly as he came. The laughter of children behind him, thanking him for the candy. They'd cried out with joy at the sight of him and jumped up and down when they saw the candy. Cries of 'peppermint' and 'lemon drops' and a dozen others on their lips as they tugged at his belt. A quite round Katrin smiled as she took the bags, tears in her eyes as she handed them to Duane, who wouldn't let her walk up and down the stairs more than she had to. She waddled over to give him a hug, surprised when he handed her the gifts for her and Duane. She hugged him again, kissing his cheek as she set them aside. Valda and Ava followed, hugs and kisses all around, surprised by their tiny colored packages.

Marian had punched him in the arm for not telling her he was bringing gifts, as they had nothing for him. He'd just laughed and said they'd given him enough last time. He hugged Marian as well, then each of the children in turn before settling in for his week-long visit.

The road was long and cold before him as he stood beside Anya in the rain, dreading the road ahead, and to home. More hugs and kisses before he mounted up and rode out, looking back over his shoulder longingly as the rain and fog hid them from view. He'd sworn to return as soon as he could, and hoped it wouldn't be too long that he was gone.

Terra had waved until she couldn't see him anymore, tucked as far as she could get into her cloak, her sniffle fading away quickly. Katrin had said that she was getting better because Locke had come back just like he'd sworn to, and Terra was inclined to agree. She had felt better the moment she saw him, but now that he left, she felt cold and alone. But as she raised a hand to cough into her handkerchief she clutched at it carefully to hide the flecks of blood within from the others, just like she'd hid them from Locke.

He'd only stayed a week. But that was just fine with Terra, for on Yuletide morning a few weeks later, he wasn't there to see her cry as she pulled the pearls over her head and applied the tiniest amount of the perfume to her wrist, reveling in the smell of her favorite flower.

--

End Chapter, please review, it is greatly appreciated.

I have exactly one thing to say concerning zombie Terra:

"There is no Terra...only Zuul..."


	5. New Life

**Author's note: **The author would like to note that she does not like this chapter. Although she looks forward to the next.

**Warning:** This chapter contains what can be considered **graphic child birth.** Skipping it would be missing a good portion of the chapter so, you decide.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Final Fantasy 6. 'Walking on Broken Glass' is owned and sung by the incredible Annie Lennox.

The Moments Between us

**Moment Five:**

New Life

**Five years, ten months, two days, eight hours, three minutes since the death of Kefka Palazzo.**

The day the letter came, was a surprisingly warm and muggy one, the sky gray with clouds coming in off the ocean. He'd been working in the stable, covering the floor with fresh hay when the messenger boy called to him from the gate. Anya warbled and went to greet the boy before Locke could get out of the stable. The teenager was laughing and trying to push the great bird back and she bopped him on the head with the bottom of her beak.

"Back up, Anya." Locke said, swatting at the chocobo's great sweeping tail feathers. "Let's see what he's got before you adopt him."

The teenager straightened as Anya stepped back, annoyed with her pet. The young man reached into his bag and pulled a letter from within, handing it to Locke. Surprised to find it addressed to him, Locke thanked the boy and tossed him a few coins before making his way back to the stable, trying to place the slightly messy scrawl on the letter. Whoever it was had spelled his name wrong, and wasn't quite used to writing. He shrugged it off and sat down on a small bench just outside the stable door and tore open the envelope.

It was postmarked out of Anthem so the poor scrawl suddenly made sense as he carefully unfolded the letter. It had been much worried over, so he had to smooth it over his knee before he could get a proper look at it.

_Lock,_

_Tera says I have less than a month left, and Duane thought that we should let you know that I'm still healthy. The baby kicks almost all the time, so I know it's doing well. It's heavy too, and I worry I'm going to fall down the steps now so Tera and Maryan keep us all upstairs during the day, even for naps. Everyone is getting excited around here, they all want to see the baby. We finally had to break down and tell the kids how the baby got in my belly. We couldn't figure out how to explain it, but they seemed to understand it. A few of them laughed and said that it made sense. The rest either didn't care or already knew. Hope said she was glad to be a girl because she wants to have a baby too some day. You should have seen her; it was so cute. She cuddles the baby everyday now while I sleep and I had to promise her that I would still let her take naps with me. It'll be nice to not have a baby between us again and I can't wait to keep her close. Duane just laughed and said I'll be able to sleep on my front again. Goddess, I'm going to sleep for days when that happens._

_We want you to know that we love you and I'll send you a letter about the baby the same day I pop, I swear._

_Katrin_

Locke smiled as he settled the letter on his knee and cast his gaze to the sky, his thumb rubbing across Katrin's shaky handwriting. She'd thought of him. Did this mean that she finally forgave him for not keeping in touch with Terra? His heart soared as a single ray of sunlight broke through the clouds and shone on the dark house. He hadn't expected a letter.

It was spring now, the perfect time for an infant, and Mobliz would be sprouting flowers everyday, and the planting would soon be starting. Here in Kohlingen, it had already started, the fields covered with farm hands constantly, buzzing about like bees at a hive, planting, tilling, watering. There were so few of them in Mobliz, he wondered how much they'd be able to plant this season. Would they need him? He wanted to go, that was certain.

Rising, he tucked the letter into his pocket and ambled over to Anya, who stood with her beak in the water trough. He rubbed at her back as she stretched out her neck to allow the water to drift down her throat.

"What do you think, baby girl?" He asked as she looked at him, her sapphire eyes questioning as the little ray of sunlight tore a great hole in the clouds, bathing the entire town in warm sunlight. "Should we go see the baby rather than wait for a letter?"

Anya burbled at him and pressed her beak into his chest, nudging him back slightly. He chuckled and scratched at the feathers on the underside of her neck. She straightened and bopped him on the head with the bottom of her beak, rumbling deep in her throat. Locke laughed and pushed her away just as she began to pick at his bandanna, trying to hook her beak in it.

"Alright alright, we can go." He chuckled, rubbing at her beak. "But, I don't think Celes will like it very much. Especially because it involves a baby, Goddess knows how much she wants one."

Anya had nothing to say to that, she just went back to her trough, exhaling beneath the water to clean her beak. Locke sighed thoughtfully and rubbed at her side, his gaze lost amid her brilliant feathers.

A baby…

Could he really handle it? Seeing Katrin's baby? It wasn't like he'd never seen a baby before, but with his current predicament, how would he respond? He'd be unnerved by it, that was for certain, but everything else was a mystery.

He shook his head and stepped away from Anya, starting towards the back door, his work in the stable forgotten. The cool house was a blessed reprieve after the muggy heat of the day, and he was grateful to kick off his boots at the door. The house was dark, save for the light streaming in through the open windows.

Celes had left for the early shift at the store again, leaving the house chores to him for the day. He found himself in the kitchen, filling the sink from little indoor pump as he thought. Locke never cleaned the dishes slowly, and he was even faster today as he stared into the soapy water, trying to think of a way to break it to Celes that he was leaving again. But nothing came as time rolled by, he just cleaned the house like he was asked and kept looking down at the bulge of the letter in his pocket. Once finished, he set the letter down on the table, leaving it behind as he went about his work.

He barely noticed when the front door opened as Celes stepped in, tossing her shoes in the corner and hanging her key and cloak by the door. She called to him and he answered from his place in the bedroom, confirming that he was there. He heard her bustling about in the living room, fluffing the drapes and closing a few windows to keep out the quickly building afternoon heat.

It wasn't till he heard her close a cabinet in the kitchen that he remembered the letter. He raced out of the bedroom and into the kitchen only to find her looking over it, a glass of water in her hand. Her brow wrinkled as she read through it a few times, her eyes squinted against the poor writing. She took a sip from her glass and turned the letter over, eyeing the back of the parchment for anything additional before looking up at him over the edge of her glass, her eyes oddly bright.

"Hey," She said in greeting, setting the letter down to give him a hug. His heart clenched as he kissed her, wondering at her lack of reaction. "Can you believe it? It can't wait to hear what it is. She's so lucky."

He just blinked at her, lost in a fog of confusion as she took another sip from her glass and pulled a day old loaf of bread down from the cupboard, ripping a piece from the soft center. She leaned back against the counter, crossing one leg over the other as she nibbled away at the bread daintily. She smiled at him as she chewed, her azure eyes gleaming at him. His heart pounded as she watched him; she was waiting for something, expecting something. Or worse, she was planning something.

"So…" She started, swallowing the last of the bread and reaching for more. "When are you leaving?"

"W-what?" He stammered, surprised by her question.

"When are you leaving?" She asked again, her smile turning to a cheeky grin.

"I-I…Huh?" Celes laughed as he stammered again, setting her chunk of bread and glass down on the counter.

"Well, of course you're going." She said, coming to him again and slipping her arms about his neck. "No one wants to get a letter about a friend's baby. They want to see the baby."

"B-but." He stammered, slipping his hands about her waist reflexively. She just laughed and kissed him, her lips leaving him delirious.

"I am not one to keep friends apart on such a special occasion." She smiled and stepped away, her fingers trailing tantalizingly over his chest. This wasn't like her at all; she should be upset knowing he wanted to go, not shoving him out the door. "Besides, I think it'll be good for you."

And that was it, right there. She wasn't thinking about him or Katrin, she was thinking about the baby. Celes was hoping that seeing the infant would spur him to act, to give her the baby she asked for. It was a tool for her, a tool any smart woman would use, and he had to give her credit for her brilliance. Any other woman he knew would have never thought of doing this. She knew he wanted to go, and she was going to use it to her advantage. But for a month? He highly doubted that Katrin had a month left, maybe two weeks at best, he'd have to leave now if he wanted to get there in time to surprise them, or at least in the morning.

"Celes, I…"

"Just go, Locke." Celes said, putting her glass down, a note of annoyance in her voice. "I can't take this anymore."

She looked at him, her blue eyes flashing with a mixture of pain and anger. There was a pale blossom of color high in her cheeks as she tossed her hair over her shoulder in a golden shower.

"I don't understand you." She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "You say you want kids, but you won't have them. You say you want to get married, but you won't. What, is it me? Is there something about me that turns you away from all that?"

"N-no…I.."

"Well there must be, and I deserve to know." She said, shifting her weight. "I fail to understand. You come and go as you please for almost a year, never being home, just leaving me waiting here. And then, when you suddenly decide to stay home, it gets my hopes up, making me think you want this as bad as I do, and then you deny me what I want! What is it Locke?"

Celes slammed a fist into the counter, the cabinet doors rattling from the force. Locke stood there, blinking at her as his heart pounded. She sighed angrily, and turned away from him, resting her hands on the counter. Celes hung her head, her hair falling over her face as she heaved another sigh, her shoulders shaking ever so slightly.

"Celes?" He asked, fearing that she was starting to cry. But her shakes proved to be chuckles, dark cynical chuckles.

"What is it, Locke?" Her voice was quiet as she looked back at him over her shoulder, her hair beautifully framing her fair face. "What did I do?"

"You pushed the subject." Locke replied without taking a moment to think. He blinked, surprised as her eyes widened in shock. But, her stricken look just sent a sudden wave of anger through him, darkening his expression and setting his heart pounding. "You came out of nowhere, telling me what you wanted and never asking me anything. Yes, I want children, yes I want to get married, but not now. For Goddess sake woman, just stop talking about it. When I want to talk about it I will, and not one moment sooner. I love you, Celes, more than anything. But, I do not have to put up with it."

A thousand other things hung on his tongue, but he couldn't formulate them into something coherent. He just wanted to scream at her, the beast of rage growling deep in his chest. But, his rage wasn't just at her; he was angry at himself for being upset with her. His hands balled into tight fists and he turned away, leaving the kitchen without a word. She just stared after him as he left, her mouth hanging open in shock. If she wanted to believe that she was the reason he wouldn't marry her, then that was just fine with him for right now.

He was just so angry with her; so unbelievably angry with her that he didn't respond when she called after him. He shut the bedroom door behind him without a word, uncertain of what to do. With a sigh, Locke sat down on the edge of the bed, propping his elbows up on his knees and dropping his head into his hands. What now?

Locke rubbed at his shoulders, uncertain and upset with himself as Celes knocked on the bedroom door. She knocked again when he didn't reply, her voice meek with confusion and hurt.

"Locke?" She asked, laying a hand on the door. "Can I come in? Please?"

When he didn't respond, she opened the door a crack, peering in at him. Finding him, she opened the door the rest of the way and stepped within, her hands worrying nervously at each other as she looked at him, swallowing hard. Her brow knit together as he looked up at her, her gaze falling to the floor.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, her voice shaky. She chewed gently on her lower lip, shifting her weight from foot to foot. "I…didn't think about it."

"You didn't bother to ask." He replied, dropping his gaze to the floor.

"This is because of Rachel isn't it?" She questioned, the words barely audible. He looked up at her in surprise, his heart pounding at the mention of his lost love. He lost his breath for a moment and just stared at her, eyes wide. Some part of him clicked at her words, an image of Rachel's timeless smile flashing in his mind.

_"Locke, I'm late…"_

Rachel had always been part of it, he was certain of that. But, the memory of her had only really hurt him when it came to marriage. He hadn't thought about her when it came to a baby. Rachel had never said she was pregnant; she just smiled at him and said her courses were late. He shook his head and dropped his gaze again; Celes had gone dead white and he couldn't look at her.

"I don't know." He said, leaning forward and rubbing at his shoulders again. "And I don't want to think about it."

Celes set her jaw, her lips pressing into a thin line as she got her color back. She crossed her arms over her chest, shifting her weight from foot to foot, uncertain.

"Why not?" She asked, chewing at her lower lip again. "Why is it so hard?"

"Because I'm not you!" He said, louder than he thought he would. "I'm not a woman, Celes. For you, a baby makes you complete. It makes you feel like you've done what you were expected to. But me, I don't have that."

"But..."

"No!" He growled looking up at her. The beast of anger raised its head again, rumbling at Celes from within him. "No 'buts' Celes. Let it go now."

Celes snapped her mouth shut so fast he heard her teeth click. She swallowed hard, taking another step into the room. She reached for him, putting a hand on his shoulder, her fingers shaking with the fear that he might throw her off. When he didn't she got a grip on his shoulder and knelt down before him, setting a hand on his knee as she looked up at him. He could only look down at her, a twinge of guilt attacking his chest at the pain in her eyes. He'd hurt her; again. He opened his mouth to apologize, but she put a finger over his lips to silence him, her lips turned down into a frown.

"No, please don't." She said, a tiny pained smile curling the corner of her mouth. "I didn't even think about how you felt. I've been selfish, haven't I?" She took a breath, taking her finger away from his mouth and trailing it lovingly down his neck. "But, you should still go to Mobliz. At least see the baby and make sure it lives. That woman can't handle another still birth, she'll lose her mind."

Locke blinked at her, confused. Hadn't Katrin lost the baby at four months? Could she possibly have given birth to that tiny undeveloped…thing? Locke shuddered underneath her loving touch. He swallowed hard, trying to figure out how to phrase the question.

"Birth? To…that...thing?"

"Yes, of course." Celes said with a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It had to come out some how, Katrin's body wouldn't have been able to reabsorb her at the point of her development." Celes paused and held her hands before her, gazing down at her suddenly shaking fingers. "She was so tiny, and so cold. Her skin was black and splotchy, like she was bruised all over. I was afraid to touch her; I thought I'd break her. But she didn't come out alive. There was no breath, no life whatsoever. I wanted to scream and fling her against the wall, but I couldn't do it. And Katrin was shrieking and crying, begging to hold the baby. She just sat there, covered in blood and rocking back and forth, clutching that little girl to her chest. We buried Thea the next day, up in the garden beside Katrin's mother. Duane couldn't cope and lost himself in the bottle for about a month. If it weren't for Canaan, Hope wouldn't have a father. Katrin was ready to ask Duane to leave. She could cope with losing the baby, but she couldn't handle watching Duane fall apart. But they survived, and now, they have another chance."

He gazed at her steadily as she stood, wrapping her arms about herself, allowing her hair to fall into her face as she cast her gaze at the floor. Locke couldn't take his eyes off the woman before him, he wanted to hold her, to comfort her, but he couldn't move.

"It's a test. The biggest test of our lives." Celes said, her voice gentle as she raised her eyes to him once more, her azure eyes dark with sadness. "I won't know how much I can depend on you until I see you with that infant in your hands, caring for it and still loving me despite the stress. It's a fact of life, laid down by our instincts. I don't know where humans came from, but whatever made us put that in the human female. We use that baby as a tool to see how much we mean to the male in our life." She sighed suddenly, angrily, pressing a hand in her back and turning away. "Good Goddess, listen to me. I sound like my grandfather, breaking it down like this. Instinct and all that. You must have no idea what I'm saying."

"No, no." Locke said, getting to his feet. He put a hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. He took her into his arms, feeling guilty for fighting with her. She tucked her head into the crook of his neck, a hand gripping at his shirt. "I understand it. I just never thought about it that way. And hey, so what if you sound like Cid? I thought kids were supposed to be a chip off the old block or something like that."

Celes laughed, brightly, kissing his neck. She slipped her arms about him and kissed his lips lovingly, the contact leaving him dizzy. Five years with her and she still left him a love struck fool at the simplest touch. So, why couldn't he have a baby with her? Or even take the step to marry her? It was Rachel; it had to be. She was holding him back, even after she'd told him to let her go.

"Alright Celes, I'll go to Mobliz, but why don't you come with me? Come see the baby, I know Katrin would love to have you there." He said, kissing the top of her head as she settled against his chest again. But Celes shook her head gently, nuzzling into his neck.

"No Locke, you need to do this without me. I might start pushing again when I see her with the baby, and now that I know how you feel, I couldn't do it again." She replied quietly. "Besides, I trust you when you go to Mobliz. I trust those women with you, Terra most of all. I know her, she'd never try to take you away from me."

Locke looked down at her, surprised to find her face red. So she did worry about him being unfaithful. He found himself smiling softly as he tightened his grip on her shapely frame, pulling her as close as he could. He couldn't blame her though, with how often he'd been gone, he was a fool to believe that she wouldn't have that fear. He chuckled and kissed the top of her head.

"You nut," He said with a smile. "I would never do that. You're my world."

"And you're mine." She said softly, stepping back. Her fingers trailed gently on his arm as she turned away, stepping towards her dresser. She pulled open the top drawer, reaching beneath her under things to pull out the small wooden box he'd brought back for her from Mobliz. She pulled the lid away and pulled out his old bandanna, the one he'd had during their ordeal with Kefka and the empire. It was burned and torn, stained in several places and mended so many times it was to mutilated to be worn anymore. She wrapped it about her hand and held it to her chest, settling her free hand atop it as well.

"The end of the world couldn't take you away from me, and I won't allow another woman or my desire for a baby be the thing to do it." She looked at him over her shoulder, her eyes sparkling. "I feel like a fool for worrying about it. I guess another reason I want one so bad is to keep you here, to keep you away from other women."

"Don't feel like that. It's alright. I would be worried if you didn't." He said smiling. "And no matter what I say, you won't stop worrying about it. But please, let's not fight about this anymore. Can we wait until we're both ready?"

"Yes, that sounds good. It's not like I'm running out of time or anything." She said with a smile, though her eyes still held a hint of sadness. "And I have no mother to present a grandchild to, so there's no pressure on me."

"No mother?" Locke asked, surprised that she'd bring up the topic. But he found himself smiling, the image of a lifetime popping into his mind. "You should ask Terra, I'm sure she'd adopt you."

Celes laughed again, the sound making his heart soar. She was perfection, standing there in the soft light, gripping his old, mangled bandanna. The gentle sunlight caught in her hair, casting her in a delicate golden aura. But the image drew another into his mind. One of a thin figure cast in a most holy glow, her hair tossing about in an ethereal wind.

_Terra…_

He needed to leave soon if he wanted to spend time with her before Katrin went into labor. He had a feeling things would get a little hectic once the baby was born. Terra was the best midwife within fifty miles of Mobliz and she'd have her hands full looking after the infant while Katrin rested.

"Well," He started. "If I'm going, I need to go soon, if she thinks she doesn't have a month after all."

Celes nodded as she put the bandanna back in its little box and tucked it back into the drawer. She turned to him, as she took up her brush and began running it through her hair, tugging out the days tangles.

"I have a feeling it'll much sooner than a month. But," She put her brush down and looked at him, her brow knit together. "Could you leave in the morning? I want to be with you tonight. I have a lot to make up for, and I just want to spend some time with you. I don't know how long you'll be gone and…"

"Of course," He said with a gentle smile. "I'll stay for tonight."

--

**Five years, ten months, five days, nine hours, fifty-three minutes since the death of Kefka Palazzo.**

Canaan saw him first from his perch up on the windmill. The man called to him, waving welcomingly with both hands. Locke waved back, gripping at Anya's reigns to keep her from rocketing into the village. She danced back and forth beneath him, the fresh noonday air invigorating her. She whistled as Canaan vanished into the mill and came out the little door in the bottom a moment later.

"We didn't think you'd come. She sent the letter just to let you know she was close." Was the first thing the older man said as he jogged over, a wide grin on his handsome face. Locke jumped down from his perch and took his friend's hand, giving it a hardy shake.

"Surprise!" Locke said, a broad smile claiming his lips as he clapped Canaan on the shoulder amiably. "I'd have come no matter what happened at home. Strangely enough, Celes thought it was a great idea."

"Strange or not, we're glad you're here." Canaan replied, his grin broadening. "Katrin will go through the roof when she sees you. She's been worried about making the trip to Anthem to write another letter. We don't have any paper here and she wouldn't let Terra make that walk just to get her paper then take it back to Anthem and then have to walk home."

Locke chuckled, rubbing at Anya's neck as she started to pick at Canaan's head. Canaan just laughed and batted at her beak, knocking it aside. Anya ruffled her feathers in annoyance and warbled deep in her chest. She stamped her feet, impatient with the wait. There was a bag of oats and a whole herd of children waiting to fawn all over her, and she was here listening to her pet visit.

"She's going to drag me off if I don't take her to the stable." Locke said with a grin as Anya began to tug at her reigns, grumbling at him. Canaan laughed heartily before sending them off and making his way back up the hill towards the windmill, waving as he went.

Locke turned Anya towards the village and walked the rest of the way, his eyes catching on the few burned out houses that littered the field. The spring sun and rain had thrown a fresh net of ivy over their walls and what remained of their roofs. It was strange how a simple green curtain of growth could turn the empty shells into something so approachable. They used to be disturbing, right after Kefka fell, but now they were just a sad memory; one he'd rather not forget.

There was laughter in the village as he approached, the silvery peals of one of the girls echoing off the fronts of the houses. It brought a smile to his lips, that delicate sound. He recognized it instantly as Jennia, a loud seven-year-old with a future as a bard. Anya strode into the square just as a dark flash that could only be the girl herself raced by, a boy named Oscar giving chase.

"Hey you two!" He called after them. "Stay in the village!"

The two stopped dead in their tracks and whipped around to face him, faces red from exertion and little chests heaving from their run. They cried his name in unison, eyes lighting up as they ran back to him. He caught up Jennia instantly, spinning her about. She laughed and threw her arms about his neck, kissing him on the cheek as he set her down. Oscar, another seven-year-old, all but bounced to him; hands out for a hug. Locke caught the boy, kneeling to give him one of the bear hugs that the boy loved so much.

The children's cries drew the attention of the others, and soon he was surrounded by ten smiling faces, all vying for his attention at the same time. Those that had gotten their hugs turned immediately to Anya, raising hands to rub at her sides. The chocobo puffed out her feathers again, beaming beneath their attention. She lowered her beak and tapped at the tops of their heads, drawing laughter out of the gathered group.

"What in Goddess name has gotten into all of you?" A young feminine voice called. Ava came around the side of a house a moment later, wiping her hands on her apron, a cutting knife still in her hand. "It's almost time for lun…"

The young woman's voice trailed off as her bright brown eyes fell upon the great yellow bird and then on the man hanging on to her reigns. Ava stared at him for a moment, blinking in the sunlight before dropping her knife in the dirt and running down the hill, her blue skirt caught up in her hands.

"Locke!" She called as he scooped her up, kissing the top of her head. She kissed his cheek as he set her back down, a light blush on her tanned cheeks as she smiled up at him. "You're here! We didn't expect you to come."

"That's what your father said." Locke said grinning at her as she waved the children away, Anya following the troupe as one of the older children led her to the stable. "And I thought you had faith in me."

"We do!" Ava chimed, laughing as he waggled his eyebrows at her. "But we thought that Celes would keep you home with the Anniversary so close."

He raised an eyebrow in confusion at her words. Anniversary? Was it already so close? Time seemed to have left him behind since he started coming to Mobliz steadily; he just hadn't thought that the year was almost gone.

"I completely forgot about that." He said, his gaze drifting off over her head into the distance. It felt strange to forget it. He'd nearly lost his life too many times fighting Kefka, and he'd become used to the thought hanging at the back of his mind. After everything they went through in the aftermath, getting over post-traumatic stress, fighting to get their health back to normal and trying to integrate back into normal society, how could he forget it?

"How can you?" Ava said with a giggle. "It's the biggest party of the year. We put up decorations and make all kinds of cakes. But, you get to go to Figaro for the party. That has to be memorable."

"Oh, it is." He said, looking back to her and waggling his eyebrows again. "Memorably boring."

" Come on you." Ava said with a laugh, catching up his gloved hand and started off towards the village. "I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they see you."

Locke allowed the girl to drag him up towards the houses, surprised to find that none of the adults were about. He began to wonder why when he saw the smoke coming up from the chimney of the meeting hall. His stomach rumbled as Ava called out for her mother, still tugging him along. He stumbled slightly, as his heavy pack slipped on his shoulder, struggling to straighten it with one hand as Ava tugged on the other.

Valda came out from within the hall a moment later, wiping her hands on her apron. She raised an eyebrow at her daughter and started to question the girl when she saw the cloaked and laden man she dragged. Locke came up to her with a smile, waving a gloved hand as she looked him up and down. Valda's brow knit together as he came to stand before her, her eyes wide as the apron fell lifelessly from her hands.

Locke's shoulders slumped at the look on her face. She didn't seem happy to see him, maybe he should have stayed in Kohlingen for this; he hadn't been invited after all. But, as he stood there, the smile falling from his lips underneath his scrutiny, she came forward and threw her arms about him, gripping his tightly. Surprised, Locke caught her, hanging on as she quivered in his arms.

"You sweet, sweet man." She said, her voice shaking. "Bless you. Bless you for coming."

"Valda, what's…" Marian came to stand in the doorway, a ladle in her hand as she leaned out. She blinked at the sight before her, mouth agape. Locke gave her a tiny wave as Valda stepped back, dabbing at her eyes with the edge of her apron. "Son of a…"

Marian was in his arms as soon as Valda could step aside, her strong arms wrapping tightly around his back. Locke laughed as he hung on to her, patting at the woman's back. Marian stepped away a moment later, throwing her long mussed braid over her shoulder as a broad grin painted itself across her scarred face.

"I can't believe this." She said, breathless with excitement. "You heavenly bastard. You didn't have to come."

"I wanted to." He said, slipping off his heavy pack and setting it down. "This way Katrin won't have to send another letter, and I actually get to see the baby."

"I prefer this solution to any other." Valda said with a shrug, wrapping an arm about her daughter as Ava came to stand beside her. She smiled down and Ava and rubbed her shoulder, bringing a smile to the girl's face. "This is wonderful. Katrin will be so happy."

"Talking of which." Locke said, casting a glance into the meeting hall, which proved to be empty as lunch wasn't quite ready yet. "Where is she?"

"Napping." Marian said, looking off towards Katrin's house. "She's been having trouble doing everything lately so she sleeps when she can. Duane's been staying with her constantly; he's so worried she'll lose it. I hate to go wake them, but they need to eat. I'll be back in a minute."

Marian clapped Locke on the shoulder and handed Valda the ladle before making her way to Katrin's house. Valda turned to Locke and directed him to get settled while she finished lunch. He waved to her as he caught up his pack again and made his way up the hill. The sight of Terra's little home sent his heart pounding against his ribs, excitement rushing through his veins. He rubbed at a patch of dust on his cheek as he approached the open door, smiling at the sound of voices within. He kicked off his boots before he came to the door, trying to think of something to say.

"Jak-o-bieeeee" Came the all to familiar whine of a certain five-year-old as he came to the door, setting his boots down as quietly as he could, hoping to keep the element of surprise.

"What-ieeeeeee." Jacoby whined in response as Locke peeked into the small home. The young man stood with his back to the door, working to scrape the ashes out of the hearth and onto a large dustsheet on the floor at his feet. Hope stood beside him, her little navy dress covered in ash. She stamped her feet and clung to the hearth, her little stuffed rabbit lying forgotten on the floor beside her.

"When's mommy going to have the baby?" She whined at him, dragging the last word out.

"I don't know, ask Mama." Jacoby replied, a note of amusement in his light voice.

"She won't tell me." Hope stamped her feet again as Jacoby heaved against the ash shovel, sweeping a pile of ashes out from within the hearth. The young man just smiled the little girl rocked from side to side, swinging her arms.

"That's because Mama doesn't know either."

"Yes she does!" Hope said adamantly, stamping her feet again, her soft golden curls bouncing about her round face. "She knows everything."

"That she does, girly." Locke said, a grin on his face as he stepped into the house. Hope whipped around, shouting his name as she scrambled across the wood floor. Locke dropped his pack and scooped up the laughing girl, spinning once as she clung to his neck. He turned to offer a smile to Jacoby as Hope settled into his arms, babbling at him about the baby. Locke just nodded and agreed with the little girl as Jacoby stared at him, slack jawed and wide eyed.

The young man raised a hand to brush a loose lock of black hair from his thin face, revealing the glittering green eyes beneath. Jacoby straightened, setting the ash shovel down beside the hearth, a grin finding his fine features.

"Somehow, I'm only slightly surprised to see you." He said, a note of amusement in his gentle voice. "Get in here and get settled."

Locke nodded with a grin and set Hope down on her own two feet again. She smiled and bounced back and forth, scooping up her rabbit as Locke set his pack in its customary place beneath the sofa and hung his cloak on a hook by the door. Jacoby bundled up the ashes and clapped his hands free of dust before coming to Locke and offering a hug of his own.

"Goddess man," Jacoby said, offering a toothy grin. "It's good to see you. What made you come?"

"No one likes reading about babies." Locke replied with a shrug. The treasure hunter turned and settled down onto the sofa, surprised to find more comfort in it than in his own bed back home. Hope scrambled up onto the cushions beside him and crawled into his lap. He leaned back and pressed his knees together to give her room. She settled in comfortably, her head on his collarbone.

"Agreed." Jacoby said, with a smile. "Does Katrin know you're here?"

"No not yet. She was resting when I got here, so I figured I'd settle in first." Locke said, wrapping an arm about the little girl in his lap. It was strange, he thought, how comfortable he was with her in his lap. Children weren't his cup of tea when he was home in Kohlingen; but here, things were different. Shaking his head, he pressed a kiss into Hope's golden curls, rubbing at her shoulder. She tilted her head back and offered him the toothy smile only a five-year-old could give. She'd lost her two front teeth in the time he'd been gone and her smile made for a comical sight.

"Look at that." He said before he could think. "You see what happens when you chew on rocks? Your teeth fall out."

"I didn't chew on rocks." Hope replied with another gap-toothed grin. "They're dirty. Mama said I'm a big girl now."

"Oh, is that what it is?" Locke questioned, rolling his eyes. "What, did you get in a fight?"

"No," Hope said, her shrill laugh ringing in the house. "The tooth fairy wanted them."

"Ah. Well, I hope she replaces the ones she took." He said with a wink. "She owes you a couple."

"That she does." Jacoby chimed in as he lifted the bundled up ash sheet from the floor. "She took all of mine a long time ago. But, she gave me new ones; think of it as trading them in. Come on you, I think it's lunch time."

Someone began to ring the meal bell as Jacoby spoke, the sound echoing throughout the square. Hope bounced off Locke's lap and ran across the living room to take Jacoby's hand, trying to drag him out the door.

"Hold up." Locke said, rising from the sofa. Jacoby leaned back into the house brushing his unruly hair out of his eyes as Locke came to the door. "Do you know where your mother is?"

"Yeah. She's out in the garden." Jacoby replied, the corners of his lips turning up into a slight smile. "Today is a special one for her. Would you mind fetching her for lunch?"

Locke nodded and thanked the young man as he reached outside for his boots. Jacoby took off down the hill after Hope, his long strides easily catching up to the little girl. Locke leaned back against the doorframe as he watched them drift into the meeting hall, folding his arms over his chest in thought.

The garden. What was she doing out there again? It was no place for a fine young woman like Terra to spend her free time. She said she enjoyed the sunlight, but what could be so sunny about a graveyard? And what did Jacoby mean when he said today was special? Had Terra buried someone he didn't know about? Or was it the baby that Celes had said they lost?

His curiosity piqued, he started off down the hill, heading east and out of the village. The smell of sea salt caught him just as he started up the small hills beyond the houses, reaching for him with sultry fingers and begging him to visit the shore. He could bathe forever in that scent and never grow weary of it. The smell of the ocean was different here than it was back in Kohlingen. It was spicy and welcoming here. Whereas the smell of the north sea was bitter and cold, constantly warning of winter.

He crested the hill quickly, digging his boots in as the grass gave way to the rocky earth beneath. Casting is gaze out towards the garden; he caught a glimpse of her. She stood off to the side of the garden, about halfway up the path. With a sigh he started down into the gully that separated the hills from the garden. Taking a step over the little stream at the bottom, he paused and looked up at the gathered rocks on either hill. He could easily build a simple bridge here; the rocks were sturdy enough. It would save Terra the rough hike to and from the village, and the children would benefit from it as well. They made the trip out here once every summer on the day Kefka turned the Light of Judgment on Mobliz to visit with their parents. But, with more children appearing, he had to wonder how much longer the original children would want to visit their parents.

Locke tucked the thought away for later as he started up and out of the gully. He stopped mid step when a faint sound caught his attention. It came down from the garden above him, a soothing female voice floating on the wind. He stopped and listened for a moment, lost in the sound. He'd heard Terra sing before, but that was a very long time ago, and only in passing. Terra was not one who liked people to watch her. She kept things like her singing to herself. And, come to think of it, he'd only heard her sing before he'd met Celes. He drew himself away from the thought. The very train of it sending an odd shudder up his spine. The melody became familiar to him as he continued up the hill. Where had he heard it before? It was old, he was certain of that. It wasn't opera, that was obvious. A bards song perhaps?

_"You were the sweetest thing that I ever knew. But I don't care for sugar, honey, if I can't have you…"_

Terra's voice was intoxicating as he came up to the garden's little broken gate and stepped through, the wrought iron groaning faintly at his passing. He found her about half way up the little hill, kneeling before a particular grave, her hands working at the ground as she sang.

_"Since you've abandoned me, my whole life has crashed. Won't you pick the pieces up  
'Cause it feels just like I'm walking on broken glass…"_

He stayed beside the gate as her voice grew in volume. She sang beautifully, her voice handling the lower notes of the song perfectly though she had trouble with the higher ones. Her voice was even and melodic, with a deeper quality that most women singers would kill for. But, she was untrained, and had trouble carrying out the longer notes. A little practice, and a good teacher, and Terra could make a small name for herself if she wanted. But she seemed more content with bedtime songs and children's rhymes than her name on a poster and a fancy dress to wear each night. She straightened up from her work at the grave, brushing a stray hair from her face.

Locke came up the path slowly, remaining silent as she brushed her hands off and bent over the grave again, her fingers turning the soil at the base of the stone. As he approached, he was surprised to find her in her best skirt and top; the soft cream of her shirt and the dark huntsman green of her heavy skirt a perfect compliment to her hair and skin. But she'd added things to the ensemble today. She had placed a black vest over her top, and a ribbon about her neck. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, they way she'd worn it long ago, the delicate waves fluttering about in the wind.

_"The sun's still shining in the deep blue sky. But it don't mean nothing to me…Oh, let the rain come down. Let the wind blow through me…"_

Terra sat back on her heels, her voice still carrying on the wind as she reached beside her and lifted a small clump of earth, a grouping of snowy white grave flowers sprouting atop it. She tucked the clump into a hole she'd dug before the gravestone, smoothing the upturned earth over the little clump before she repeated this with a second batch.

_"I'm living in an empty room; with all the windows smashed. And I've got so little left to lose; that it feels just like I'm walking on broken glass…"_

She finished quickly and got to her feet, brushing her hands off before her, gazing down at her work with a smile. She continued to sing for a moment before her voice trailed off quietly. She turned to face him, one hand against her skirt, and the other curled at her collarbone. As her lips turned upwards in a gentle smile, he was surprised to find that she'd applied a touch of rouge to her pale lips and a bit of color above her eyes. They weren't the best matches for her complexion, but the fact that she'd put on the make up made it more beautiful than if they were the best colors. Today must truly be special for her to have taken the time to dress up.

"I knew you'd come." She said, her voice gentle. Locke smiled gently, his heartbeat quickening against his will. His ribs ached as she stepped out from around the grave and came to stand before him, a delicate smile on her fine face as she raised her hands and offered him a friendly embrace. He slipped his arms about her, bringing her close as she slipped her arms about his neck. He gripped her tightly as she kissed his cheek, her lips far too cold for his liking. "I'm so glad you did."

"How'd you know?" He asked, as she leaned back, allowing him to wrap his arms about her waist as she set her hands on his chest. "Oh wait, you know everything. Hope was right."

Terra laughed, the sound as musical to his ears as her song. He kissed her forehead as she stepped out of his grasp, her skirt trailing behind her as she returned to the grave.

"I wish I knew everything. Life would be easier on everyone if I had all the answers." She said, bending to trail a finger on the newly planted flowers.

"Yes, but where would the fun be?" He asked, coming to stand beside her. He settled a hand on the small of her back and cast his gaze to the small uninteresting gravestone at their feet. The word 'Victor' was the only thing that decorated the plain stone, the letters having been chiseled by a delicate hand. "Who is Victor?"

"He was a friend." Terra said with a sigh, stepping closer and leaning against his side. "A very good friend. He was a deserter from the empire who was badly wounded in his escape. He stayed here in Mobliz under the care of the surgeon. He survived when Kefka destroyed the village, but was bedridden. I took care of him until he died, six years ago today. I come here every year and sing to him; all his favorite songs. He always asked me to sing to him, even though I'm not very good." She chuckled. "He told me that if my voice was good enough for the children then he was blessed to hear it. But, he got very sick when Lola's letters stopped coming and he died a month later. I always thought that Lola had stopped caring, but when I finally met her, I knew it wasn't true."

Terra shook her head, raising a hand to brush a stray strand of emerald away from her eyes. He looked down at her, her tale ringing in his mind. He reached around and rubbed at her hip, trying to comfort her. She just smiled at him, her amethyst eyes glistening in the bright sunshine. She gave him the once over, raising a delicate eyebrow at his appearance, a faint scowl tugging at her thin lips.

"What?" He asked, shifting nervously under her scrutiny.

"You're filthy." She stated, looking up at him. "Did you just get here?"

"Yeah," Locke replied, blushing faintly as he shrugged. "I had just walked in when Jacoby sent me to bring you back for lunch."

"Ah, well, I'm not very hungry." She said. "Why don't you go on back without me and eat, and I'll head back shortly."

Locke froze, gazing down at her thin form. She blinked back at him, raising an eyebrow as his brow knit together with worry. She opened her mouth to say something, but he stopped her by pulling her close, his arms wrapping about her surprised form before she could stop him. She'd lost more weight in the time he'd been gone. His first thought was that he hadn't seen her for a time and had forgotten how thin she'd become. But no, she'd lost more, even when he thought it impossible. He could feel her ribcage quite clearly through the thin cotton of her top as he clung to her, a shudder of pure revulsion trailing up his spine. It was disgusting; this loss of weight. She was a skeleton wearing a mask of his kindly friend and he could have thrown her to the ground, and demanded the return of the real Terra, but it would get him nowhere. He didn't know how much more of this he could take. How long would this go on? Could he stop it? And if not; would it kill her? He was starting to have trouble coping with it. For Goddess sake, he'd been there with her when she first started to reach out and become a person. He'd watched as the scabs left from the slave crown's removal faded away. But now, he was faced with the chance of watching her die. And he wasn't sure he could cope. And all he could do was cling to her. Cling and pray as he felt the weak rise and fall of her breast against his ribs and shiver as he felt the denial that rushed through her veins.

"Locke, what's…"

"Either you come back and eat of your own will, or I throw you over my shoulder and take you back, kicking and screaming." He said raising an eyebrow and daring her to refuse. She scrunched her nose up at her, delivering a mock glare before conceding him the duel of wills. For the time being, he relaxed; her easy concession slowing the painful drum of his heart.

"Alright." She said with a sigh, looking to the grave at her feet and them returning her gaze back to him. "But, can you give me just a moment alone?"

Locke nodded and released her, starting back down the hill to wait by the gate. She turned her back to him and faced the stone, her hands folded before her once more, she bowed her head and bent, setting a hand on the carved name.

"I have to go." She said softly. His ears strained to hear her words, surprised that she'd be talking to a grave. "Would you do me a favor and remind Leo that Jacoby's birthday is coming up? We'll be thinking about the both of you as always and would like for you to be there for the toast. Oh! And also tell him that the baby will be here within the week and he should come with you to see it. I know Katrin and Duane would love to have you. I love you, my friend, and we'll pray for you and Leo at dinner. I'll see you soon."

With that she turned and came to Locke, smiling warmly at him as they started off towards the village. His head was spinning from what he'd just witnessed. He'd never seen Terra do anything like that, but as she took his hand, her cold fingers gripping his gently, the thought left his mind.

--

Katrin had indeed gone through the roof at the sight of him at lunch that day. She'd all but jumped on him, a ball of excitement and nerves. When he heard Terra tell Victor that Katrin had less than a week, he'd thought it strange. But when he saw her, he knew Terra was right. Katrin had grown exponentially since he'd last seen her, and for the life of him he expected her to pop like a bubble when he hugged her. But she hadn't and they'd sat down and had a pleasant lunch together. He'd listened as she talked about how badly she wished to just have the baby and get it over with, she didn't want to wait another month. But as he watched, Terra just apologized and told Katrin that one more month wouldn't kill her.

Locke had played with the kids until dinner, and then retreated into the house for the evening. He and Terra spent the evening just talking about anything and everything, sharing a pot of tea and a small loaf of bread. Jacoby came home after seeing to it that the kids were all in bed a few hours later and plopped down into Terra's loom chair, sitting in it backwards as he faced them. The evening had passed pleasantly, and he'd fallen asleep much faster than he thought.

Jacoby had roused him before dawn the next morning, a grin plastered across the young man's face as they set off to gather the nets. They'd come back with laden baskets and smiles their faces, laughing at another of Canaan's raucous jokes. They came into the village just as the children came pouring out of Katrin's front door, the young woman in tow, one hand on her belly. She came down the steps waving to them, a strained smile on her face. Something in the back of his mind clicked and twinged a nerve in the small of his back as he looked at her. Something wasn't quite right today. Locke absently handed his basket over to a smiling Ava, keeping his eyes on the pregnant woman as she filled a bucket full of seed and took it to the chickens.

Waving off Jacoby's questions, he stepped away from the group and followed her. Something about the way Katrin held onto her belly told him something was wrong. He came upon her just as she set the seed bucket up onto the high fence. She reached up and just dumped the seed into the enclosure, something she never did. Katrin was always meticulous when it came to the chickens, ever caring. But, she didn't seem to care as the bucket crashed to the ground with a clatter, spilling the seed across the small yard. Thankfully, the chickens were milling about on the far side and hadn't been frightened by the mishap.

Katrin groaned, not noticing him as he jogged to her. Stepping around to the side of the gate, she set a hand on the post, leaning as she reached for the gate latch, intent on cleaning up the mess. She groaned again and drew her hand back, this time placing it on the underside of her belly.

"Katrin." Locke said, reaching for her shoulder. "What's wrong darlin'?"

She turned and looked at him, her lips parted with surprise. She cringed suddenly, her eyes clouded with pain before she straightened and offered him a strained smile. She was starting to sweat, the wavy strands of her wheat colored hair clinging to her cheeks.

"Nothing, just a little sore today." She said, her teeth clicking shut as she suddenly rubbed at her side. "It's kicking constantly."

"Doesn't look like kicking to me." Locke said, stepping around before her as she tottered, setting his hands on her shoulders. The sweating was getting worse, her dress quickly becoming damp from the amount of perspiration. She shuddered beneath his grip and swayed, setting a hand on his chest to steady herself. "Ok, enough. This definitely isn't kicking. Come on, we need to get you inside."

"But the chickens…"

"I'll send one of the kids when we get you home." He said, placing a hand on her back as they walked, their pace painfully slow. She pressed a hand on the small of her back, groaning as she straightened suddenly.

"No," She said, "This is nothing." She stopped and turned to face him, another strained smile curling her suddenly pale lips. "This'll pass in a little while. Just let me..,"

Katrin froze, her eyes widening in shock. Locke looked to her in confusion, his brow knit as her mouth worked though no sound came out. It was the faint dripping on his boot that alerted him to the issue. They both looked down at the front of her dress at the same time, eyeing the growing wet patch. He should be panicking, he told himself. He should be having a heart attack rather than laughing as he reached over to hug her shuddering form. But he was laughing quite happily, his heart fluttering away with mirth at the situation he'd found himself in.

"Nothing my ass." He said, reaching around to grip at her shoulders in a one armed hug. She squeaked as he turned her towards the house again, her motions stiff. He debated carrying her home, but her pain seemed to have ceased for the time being. "Let's get you inside and then I'll get Terra and Duane, alright?"

"I feel so funky." She said stiffly, her eyes still wide, and her skin clammy. Locke just laughed and led her home, but it was very slow going. "I-I can't walk in these, hold on."

Locke stood beside her, blinking as she crouched as best she could, slipping her under things off surprisingly easily and still keeping her modesty. He blushed as she balled them up, taking note of the few flecks of blood amid the water that soaked the cotton. She scoffed, trying to wring them free of the water, but there wasn't enough to really fall from the wadded up fabric.

"Oh damn it all." She growled, throwing the wad to the ground. "That bitch lied to me. Why couldn't she just say it would be this week? I could have been ready for this."

Locke laughed as he bent to scoop up the ball of cotton without a second thought, keeping hold of it for her. Another thing he would never have done a few months ago. What was happening to him? Why was this whole awkward situation suddenly not frightening in the least and even funny?

"There's no such thing as being ready for it." He said, slipping an arm about her shoulders again. "And how do you know she lied?"

"Because Mama knows everything!" Katrin insisted with a growl as they crept along. Locke was surprised to hear her refer to Terra as 'Mama'; but it made sense. Katrin was only sixteen when Terra had come to Mobliz. So, in a sense, Terra had raised her too. "She's the best midwife for fifty miles, and probably farther. She knew. And she lied to me!"

"Yes, she did know." Locke said gently, admitting Terra's lie. "But if she hadn't lied to you, you'd have been a nervous wreck."

"I'm a wreck anyway!" Katrin said, raising her voice. "What the hell am I supposed to do?"

"Settle down and do what every woman does when she goes into labor." Locke said as he carefully helped her up the steps, startled by his own words. "Give birth."

"I don't think I have a choice." She said with a chuckle. He led her into the bedroom, helping her to sit on the bed before lighting the broad tallow candle beside the bed. She leaned back, gripping at her belly again, but this time, just for support. "I don't hurt anymore. Damn thing must have been kicking at it on purpose. Ugh, help me out of this."

She began to undo the buttons on the front of her blue dress, her fingers shaking faintly from stress. Locke blushed and offered to fetch Duane instead. She just laughed at him and said she was too pregnant to care. He swallowed hard and helped her slip out of that dress and into a much softer nightgown she'd made just for this day. He found himself laughing with her as he helped her get her legs into the bed and beneath the covers the awkwardness of another strange situation cast aside.

"Ah, better." She said, leaning back once he'd finished stacking up pillows behind her. "Can you go get my husband for me? Just tell him that my water broke and get out of his way. And can you get Mama too?"

"Yeah," He said, patting her leg. "Do you need anything else? Maybe something to eat?"

"No, that would be a mistake." She said, offering up a small smile. "Nothing's going to happen until later this evening, but I probably won't be able to keep anything in my stomach as I start to contract more. Goddess, it was seventeen hours with Hope. I'd rather not go that long again."

"Seventeen? Good Goddess woman, just drop the kid and get it over with." He said. Katrin laughed hard, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes as she fought for breath. Taking his bandanna from about his head, he handed it too her so she could dab at her eyes.

"I wish!" She said, between laughs. "Now, give me a kiss and get moving. I'll be alright."

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, letting her hang onto the bandanna as he left the room. He was starting to believe that that simple bit of fabric had some kind of healing potential. But all he did was sweat on it as use it to wipe dirt from his face. Perhaps he had some kind of sacred sweat? The absurd thought brought a grin to his face as he opened the front door. Duane was walking up the steps as he came out, eyeing him in confusion as he brushed water from his hair. Locke explained what had happened and jumped aside as Duane gave an incoherent 'thank you' and dove through the door.

Shaking his head, he struck out across the square towards Terra's house. He found her outside, getting ready to start on the first batch of laundry. She looked up at him with a smile as she began to sort out the laundry, tossing his up onto the table first.

"Katrin's water just broke." He said, rubbing his hands together. A twinge of discomfort rose in his mind at the thought that she was doing his laundry for him, again. She knew she didn't have to, but he'd learned better than to argue with her.

"Oh good." Terra said, a smile curling her pale lips. "She's late. It should have broken before dawn. "

Locke raised an eyebrow as she stepped away from the laundry basket, pressing her hands together to crack her knuckles.

"What? How did you know that?" He asked, incredulous. She just smiled at him, a knowing look in her fathomless gaze.

"Magic may be gone, my friend; but I'm still half esper. I could smell it. That's what makes me a good midwife." She turned to the table, setting his clothing back atop the pile in the basket and tucking it under the table for the time being. She kept her back to him as she hung the washboard back on its hook at the edge of the table. Terra cast a glance at him over her shoulder, her amethyst eyes dark and strangely alluring as her voice took on a darker note, a huskiness that made his bones shiver. "How long ago?"

"Half hour, maybe." Locke replied with a shrug, tucking his hands into his damp pockets. "I helped her change and got her into bed already. Is there anything else I should do?"

"No, you've done more than I thought you would. Thank you." Her voice was soft as she smiled up at him. A change had come over her; one that swept away the Terra he knew and replaced her with that carved goddess he'd seen before Yule. He could not take his eyes off her as she gave his arm a gentle squeeze and started off down the hill, a faint sway to her hips. She threw her ponytail back over her shoulder, the emerald strands flashing in the golden sunlight.

Locke's heart pounded in his chest as he watched her walk up the steps into Katrin's house, throwing a last glance at him over her shoulder. Another knowing smile sent a shiver of unexpected excitement up his spine as she vanished. Something was definitely different about her today; the way she walked, spoke and smiled. It gripped at his lungs and twisted his insides in a way they hadn't been for a very, very long time.

Something was wrong with her; undoubtedly, frighteningly wrong. First the weight loss, the coughing, and then the refusal to eat; but those were just common signs of illness. But, there was also the emptiness; an all consuming hole that sucked out all light and warmth. It left him wanting to scream and beat against the empty feeling; driving it away from Terra.

_His Terra…_

But now, there was this latest incarnation. This shadowy angel that seemed to appear in the oddest of moments and drew from within him things he hadn't felt since he was very young. She could leave him quivering in his boots and sweating like a teenager in a matter of seconds.

This had happened last night as well, just before he'd gone to bed. Jacoby had retreated into his room for the night, leaving them alone in the dimly lit living room. The fire threw shadows across the small room, leaving his eyes heavy and weak as he watched her. She had been at the small counter, washing their teacups in the little basin when he asked if there was anything he could do to help. He'd gotten up to close the drapes when she told him to relax and let her work. He denied her that with a chuckle and came to stand with her at the basin. When Terra turned her gaze to him, there was that fathomless allure in her eyes again. His heart began to pound and his mouth went dry as the corners of her lips turned up into what he could only describe as a sultry smile.

But, she'd just shaken her head and wiped her hands on a small towel. She set the teacups back in their place and bid him goodnight, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before vanishing into her bedroom. He stood in the middle of the floor, his cheek burning where she'd kissed him though the rest of him was cold. His insides roiled about as his legs carried him unbidden to her door. Locke could just see her, in his minds eye, slipping out of her long skirt and setting it aside for washing, her shirt joining it a moment later. She would stand at the dresser and brush her hair before throwing her under nothings aside and slipping into a tattered nightgown. If he could just turn the knob quick enough, he might be able to catch her before she got that gown on. A brief glimpse of that flawless skin would seal the deal for him in an instant and he could…

He'd stopped himself as he reached for the knob, his fingers shaking from the strain. Locke's knees shook as he turned away, noting that the candle within her little room had gone out. He tucked himself into the sofa, feeling rather like a horny teenager, unable to shake off that desire to just rush in there and ravage her. But, he'd fallen asleep before he could act on it, all to glad to be dragged out of the house by Jacoby that morning.

Even now, the thought of her left him shaking in the morning sunlight. This new incarnation of his friend was more confusing and aggravating than anything he'd seen yet. He looked down at the pile of laundry she'd left beneath the table and wondered how long it would be until she could get to it. He could do it for her, he thought, brushing off the shakes. She'd probably be busy the rest of the day and it wouldn't get done.

Bending, he tugged it out from beneath the worktable and set up the washtub and board and got to work. He wasn't as fast as Terra, but hopefully he'd finish quickly and get washed up before breakfast.

--

The day had turned to evening in a dull flash. With the news of Katrin's labor, the children had grown lethargic and dull, just wanting to wait around for news. Marian had tried to engage them in their lessons, but she'd given up and dragged them out to their vegetable garden to get them moving.

Terra had come back two hours after she disappeared into Katrin's house, surprised when she saw the laundry drying on the line. That strange new incarnation had vanished; leaving behind the sweet woman he knew and loved. She'd thanked him and slipped into her own house, explaining that she needed to rest while she could or she wouldn't last the evening. He headed home after lunch, intent to check on her as she hadn't come out in a few hours.

The house was dark as Locke kicked his boots off and stepped inside, looking around for any signs of life. Terra's door was ajar, the soft light coming in through her window, framing the uneven edge like something from a dream. He crept up to the door, listening quietly to see if she was awake. When he heard nothing, he went to turn away, but stopped and pressed gently on the door allowing it to swing open.

The room was cool, if not a little dark, and it felt good after the heat of the day. She lay on her side in the bed, one hand curled at her chest and the other hiding beneath her pillow. Locke smiled down at her as she exhaled softly, her legs shifting beneath the blankets. He stepped quietly to the bedside, lowering himself gently onto the edge of the bed, his back to her, just reveling in the calm of the room after the hectic morning and the stress of the waiting game they were playing. Propping his elbows up on his knees, Locke rested his face in his hands, a wave of exhaustion washing over him in a rush.

A hand on his back drew his attention to the woman behind him. Her eyes were foggy with sleep as he turned to look at her, an eyebrow raised in question. Terra stretched with a delicate yawn, her joints popping as they realigned. She turned a kindly smile to him as she rolled onto her back, her fingers gliding across the fabric of his shirt as she drew her hand away.

"You ok?" She asked, her voice soft and drowsy in the cool air.

"Yeah. Yeah, just tired." Locke said with a blush. He didn't belong in here, he wasn't her lover, and this was the second time he'd walked in on her like this. "Sorry, I have no idea what I'm doing in here."

"You're resting." She said with a small sigh, the corners of her lips turning up. "No harm in that. Are the kids alright?"

"Yeah, they're fine." He replied, propping a knee up on the bed so he could turn and face her properly. He reached behind him and took hold of a few of Terra's many pillows, setting them up behind him as he leaned against the headboard. " It's strange though; it's like they don't want to do anything. It was a miracle we got them to eat at lunch. They just sit around like they're exhausted. Hope's been home all day and won't come outside. I went in to get her for lunch, but she was dead asleep in the bed with her mom, like she was sick or something. But, Duane and Katrin are fine. They've been playing cards all day and reading to Hope when she wakes up. I'm afraid that she might be getting sick."

"She's not." Terra said with a smile, scooting herself up beside him against the headboard. "She's stressed over the baby and afraid her parents won't love her anymore, so she's clinging. Were they angry with her?"

"No, Katrin just growled at her when she wouldn't eat." He answered, setting a hand on her knee. "But, when I went ahead and brought them something to eat, she saw the plums and dove at the tray."

"How's the lady?" Terra asked with a chuckle as she brushed a stray tangle away from her pale face.

"She says she's fine." Locke said with a shrug. "But that her rear feels like it's going to fall off. Duane just laughs about it. His nerves are on edge though. He gets jumpy when he comes outside to get something. The kids kept trying to ask him questions, so we ended up taking them to Valda's house for a nap a while ago, so I came home."

_Home…_

"Where's Jacoby?"

"Last I checked, he was up at the mill. He didn't want to deal with the stress until the time came, so he went up to check on the gears."

Terra didn't say anything to that; she just shifted her gaze to the small window, eyeing a passing cloud. She stifled another yawn, and scooted back down into the bed, fighting with her nightshirt to keep it about her lithe frame. She lay on her side, one arm under her pillow for support as she looked up at him, eyes half lidded.

"I should let you sleep." Locke said with a sigh. He reached over to brush a stray strand of hair from her face, his fingers trailing on her cheek. "Do you want me to wake you up at dinner?"

She didn't say anything for a moment, raising a chilled hand to grasp at his fingers. He smiled faintly, pressing a kiss to her fingers as he rose from the bed, tucking the blankets about her.

"If you want to stay, you can." She said quietly, dropping her gaze to the sheets beneath her, raising a thumb to rub at her nose. Locke looked down at her, his brow knit in surprise at her statement. "You can stay in here and rest if you want. I don't mind."

He blinked at her several times, unsure of what to do. Stay? Here? With Terra? In the bed? Locke's mind reeled around the thought, trying to grasp at any deeper meaning it might possibly contain. Was she trying to tell him something? Or was she just being a friend? He'd never once understood women, even now that he had one of his very own. They were crafty and distracting, especially when they wanted something. But, Terra had always been different. She'd never told him one thing when she meant another. Or hinted at what she wanted him to do. She'd always just told him what she wanted or needed when they were traveling, and he'd come to respect her more because of it. But, she'd never asked anything of him since he first started coming here to Mobliz, so he didn't know what to make of her statement.

His heart pounded against his ribs as he found himself taking a seat on the edge of the bed once more. This wasn't the alluring Terra he'd come to fear, this was his Terra, the gentle one. He turned his back to her, mouth dry as he slipped out of his vest and set it on a small side table, his fingerless gloves following a moment later. He was tired as he turned a glance at her over his shoulder, his face heating as she shifted the blankets aside for him. Taking a breath, he slipped beneath the covers, allowing her a moment to scoot over to give him more room. The bed wasn't very big, so it was rather close quarters on the mattress, but it was warm beneath the blankets and he was able to get comfortable quickly.

Terra sighed beside him, her eyes already closed as she nuzzled into her pillow. Locke had to fight with the pillows for a moment, trying to find one that would support his neck properly. Terra always slept with a number of pillows, as she usually rolled around a lot in her sleep. She kept them so that she wouldn't fall off the bed or bump into a bedside table. When they'd been traveling, it wasn't uncommon for her to wake up with bruises on her elbows when she'd rolled onto a stray rock hiding beneath the tent. She'd always just laugh them off in an attempt to hide the embarrassment she was really feeling. Only he and Edgar knew what was really causing the uneasy sleep. She was running from subconscious memories of her time in the empire. Always had been; always would be.

She chuckled at him as he tossed a few pillows aside and onto the floor, with a comical groan. He offered her a goofy grin, but her eyes remained closed. His face fell as he tugged the blankets up to his chin, the warmth of the bed overtaking him and sending him off into a comfortable doze.

--

It was dark when he awoke, the evening having snuck up on them faster than he would have thought. He was lying comfortably on his chest, his face buried in his pillow, his favorite way to sleep. Something warm shifted beside him, pressing a delicate hip into his side. He raised his head in the dark, looking beside him in the frail light drifting in from around the door. Terra was on her back, sound asleep, his arm across her ribs, but beneath her bust. The pillows and blankets around her were only slightly disturbed, showing that she must not have moved very much in her sleep. He must have been holding onto her for a while then, the weight of his arm keeping her in place. She took a deep breath, a faint snore tickling at the back of her throat, indicating just how deeply asleep she was.

Locke shifted in the bed, taking a deep breath of his own as he rolled onto his side to face her, settling comfortably onto his shoulder. He closed the space between them, cuddling neatly up to her side, nuzzling at her shoulder before he had a chance to think. Her head was turned away from him as she slept, exposing the pale column of her neck for his view. He raised his hand to brush the backs of his fingers down the side of her neck, his light touch drifting down her collarbone before settling across her ribs again. She took a sudden breath as his touch woke her. Terra turned her head to face him, her amethyst eyes bleary as she offered him a tiny smile.

"Mm, what time is it?" She asked, her voice husky with sleep. He offered her a small smile, rubbing his nose into her shoulder.

"After dinner I'd say, or very close." He replied, closing his eyes for a moment. "Are you hungry?"

"A little." She said with a sigh. "I need to eat and get over to see Katrin, she must be close to full labor and needs to have her contractions timed."

Terra started to push herself up from the bed when his grip on her ribs tightened. He muttered for her to stay and she turned a gentle smile to him, setting a blessedly warm hand on his cheek. He smiled up at her and removed his arm as she threw the blankets aside and crawled out of bed, raising her arms and stretching from head to toe. She yawned as she reached for her brush, tugging it through her tangled hair as he sat up and lit the tallow candle on the table beside his vest.

The room filled with soft golden light as she set the brush down and sat back down on the edge of the bed to braid the soft emerald waves. She yawned again as she got up and opened one of the drawers in her worn dresser, grabbing a short sleeved shirt and light cotton pants. She didn't seem to notice him as he yawned and stretched, taking up his vest and gloves once more. He cast a glance at her over his shoulder, blushing when he found her slipping her pants on underneath her nightdress. He turned away quickly as she undid the lacing on the gown and began to tug it over her head. But, the small mirror hanging on the wall opposite him gave him quite the view of her as she kept her back to him. The frail light of the candle delicately illuminated the pale expanse of her bare back as she reached into a drawer and drew out one of her rough under things and slipped it on, quickly tying it about herself. He cringed inwardly as she turned to the bed and picked up her shirt, unlacing the neckline so she could tug it on. He could count her ribs as she stretched to pull the shirt on over her head, the fabric hiding away the terrible truth about her health. No matter what she said, Terra wasn't well at all. She needed to be shaken and shouted at until she gave up her brave and tough exterior and let someone help her. He could do it, gladly, if he found the right moment.

But he couldn't; could he?

The sound of the front door drew his attention, drawing him out of his thoughts. The bedroom door brushed open as Jacoby peeked into the room, the young man's face turning red at the sight of Locke. Jacoby offered him a shaky smile before turning his green gaze to his mother. Terra turned a gentle smile onto her son as she tossed her braid back over her shoulder.

"Yes, love?" She asked.

"Katrin has asked for you. She says she's almost ready." His voice was strained as he spoke, his eyes glittering with untold volumes of stress.

"Good," Terra replied, stepping towards the door and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Have you eaten?"

"Yes, we finished dinner not too long ago. But Katrin hasn't eaten all day. She looks weak."

"She'll be fine." Terra replied with a kindly smile. "Is there anything left?"

"Yes, we saved some for both of you. It's just stew, we couldn't get the kids to eat anything else."

"Good enough." She said with a shrug. "I'd better go, I could be gone most of the night; so you two play nice. And don't worry." This last she directed towards Jacoby, who relaxed underneath his mother's gentle gaze.

Locke rose from the edge of the bed, offering his help. But Terra just shook her head and promised to send for him if she needed anything. With that, she tugged on her shoes and disappeared out the door, leaving he and Jacoby behind in the warm house. Jacoby looked at him as Locke turned to make up the bed, his eyes questioning.

"Nothing happened." He stated flatly, trying to ease the young man.

"I know." Jacoby replied, dropping his gaze to the floor. To Locke's surprise, he seemed crestfallen as he turned away. Had Jacoby been hoping something had happened between them? It was a strange thought; but it did bring a faint blush to his face. But, he couldn't help wondering just what that would be like. How would it feel waking up to Terra's smiling face each morning rather than Celes? Would Terra be this thin if he stayed here with her instead of going home to Celes? He shook his head to clear off the traitorous thought. That was an awful thing to imagine. He could never do that to Celes. Besides, he didn't love Terra, like he did Celes…

Did he?

"Come on," Jacoby said suddenly, thankfully drawing Locke out of that train of thought. The younger man rubbed at his nose and batted his hair from his eyes and he motioned Locke towards the door. "You should eat. We have a long night ahead of us."

--

He'd been lounging on the sofa, comfortably full of what had proved to be rabbit stew thanks to Canaan deciding to set up traps in the hills. It had been surprisingly good despite how little there was to it, and it had filled him nicely. Locke had settled into the sofa, preparing for the long wait he imagined was coming.

Jacoby had gone across to Katrin's house shortly after Locke had eaten, and he hadn't heard anything since. Valda had taken the kids into her house for the evening, hoping to keep them calm for the evening, as they had no idea what to expect. He'd just gotten up to put the kettle on when the door opened and Jacoby poked his head in, his cheeks red and his breath coming in gasps. Locke started at the young man's sudden appearance. Hoping for good news, Locke moved to the door. He stopped however when Jacoby turned a worried look to the treasure hunter.

"What is it?" Locke asked, setting the kettle aside. His heartbeat sped up as Jacoby came into the house, wiping at his forehead with his sleeve. "What's wrong?"

"Something's wrong with Katrin." The young man panted, swallowing hard. He leaned against the counter, rubbing at his neck as he got his breathing under control. "Mother's asked for you, and she wants me to go to Valda's"

Locke stiffened and patted Jacoby on the arm in an attempt to calm him. He directed the young man towards Valda's tiny, packed house. Jacoby walked stiffly down the hill, glancing back at Locke as he dowsed the fire in the hearth. Locke was headed down the little hill himself just as Jacoby vanished into Valda's tiny, packed house. He wondered what could be wrong with Katrin as he kicked at a loose rock, sending it across the square. Was the baby alright? Or would he bare witness to the horror Celes had told him about?

As he came up the dark porch steps towards Katrin's front door, a strangled cry came from within. He froze on the doorstep as another cry, followed by sobbing shook him to the core. This was it. He was about to face childbirth. The one thing that had been bothering him for the past two years; tormenting him day and night.

Could he do this?

He'd raced across an entire planet, stood at the gates to another world and faced down the devil himself, promptly providing the clown the finger as he died. But this; this scared him more than anything he'd ever faced. He stood at the door, shaking, his hand on the latch as the cries from within continued. The cries were strangely weak as they shook in the cool air. Katrin hadn't eaten all day, could that be the problem? Did she not have the strength to push? What if he had to help her do so? Would he be able to do it? Or would he be too frightened, or worse, sickened?

"Goddess Damn it Duane!" Terra's voice. She sounded angry. She never got angry. She never cursed. "Get out of here!"

"No damn it! I love her!" Duane.

"No shit!" Marian. "But you're not doing her any good!"

"But!"

"If you don't get out until Locke gets here! I'm going to kill you twice!" Katrin. She screamed in pain following this.

They needed him. Needed him but he was frozen. What would he see? What would he do? He could turn and walk away right now, pretend Jacoby hadn't come. But then, what would Terra think. She'd never doubt Jacoby for a moment. She'd raised him. And then, Terra would know he was afraid. He couldn't stand the thought of her knowing how terrified he was of this. She just smile and tell him it was alright, but he didn't want that smile. He didn't want her to doubt his reliability.

"Damn it!" Terra again. She never spoke angrily; it wasn't her way. She needed him.

He turned the knob without another thought on the matter, flinging the door inwards, his heart pounding. He pushed the door closed behind him, ignoring it as it slammed shut. The house was black as pitch as he strode through it towards the bedroom; sweat breaking out across his skin as the heat of the lamps washed over him. They'd brought every lamp they had into the room, the wicks burning high to give them enough light.

"Locke!" Terra cried.

The room was a wreck as he came through the doorway into the bedroom. It was sweltering in the small room, the smell of unwashed bodies gagging the air. Terra stood at the foot of Katrin's bed, her face lighting up at the sight of him. She had stripped to the waist save for her under garment, her shirt lying in a wet ball on floorboard beneath a table. Katrin groaned again, dragging Terra's attention away from him.

Locke found himself blushing as Terra bent over Katrin, muttering reassurances to the young woman. Her back curved in a delicate arch, the crests of her vertebrae showing much more clearly than they should have. She set a wrist on Katrin's forehead, checking her temperature as though she were ill. A thin patina of sweat coated the half-esper's porcelain skin, lending her an almost ethereal glisten. Grabbing up a towel, she rubbed at the sweat beneath her breasts, drawing it away from her skin.

"Hang in there, love." Terra crooned as Katrin moaned.

Katrin lay in the bed gripping at the simple mattress, her knuckles white from the force. Terra had tied her ankles to the bedposts with the softest rope she could find, keeping Katrin's legs apart. Her dress hung about her knees, keeping at least some of her modesty as she leaned back against the headboard and groaned again. The pretty blonde was soaked with sweat, her nightgown clinging to her in a way that had to be uncomfortable. Katrin's normally warm brown eyes turned to him, presenting a face so gaunt it sent a shudder up his spine. He offered her a tiny smile, the only thing he could think to do. She tried to smile back, but a contraction rocked her and she cried out again, gripping at her belly. Seizing another towel, Terra folded the fabric and tucked it beneath Katrin's nightdress and tucked it up underneath Katrin's swollen breasts, leaving it there to soak up her perspiration.

"Easy Katrin." Marian said, pushing past Locke and into the room. Marian, too, had stripped to the waist, her scarred skin gleaming with sweat. He shuddered as the lamplight washed over her. He'd known she had scars from the fight with her husband, but the ones that laced across her back were more than he could ever have imagined. The woman grabbed up a ribbon from a side table and bound her braided hair in a tight wrap at the back of her head. She tugged at her under thing, drawing it up for more support and she made for the side of the bed. A faint smile curled her lips as she pressed a hand to the bottom side of Katrin's belly, timing the woman's contractions.

"We're just about ready." She said, drawing her hand away.

Marian bustled about behind the bed, setting her hands on Katrin's shoulders as the young blonde gave another strangled sob. She leaned over, whispering encouragements to the younger woman, her fingers working at the blonde's shoulders. From across the room, Duane shot towards the bed, hands outstretched in a desire to comfort his wife. His brow knit with worry and fear as he reached for Katrin, her name on his lips.

"Duane! Get back!" Terra said loudly, waving a hand at him. "She's fine."

"But!"

"No. Get back in your chair." Terra said, coming toward Katrin with another towel. "Locke's here now. It's going to be alright."

Terra turned a gentle gaze to Locke, who remained standing in the doorway, confusion written across his face. She just smiled and laid out the towel on the bed between Katrin's legs before coming to him. Her porcelain cheeks were red from the heat as she smiled up at him, her amethyst eyes bright despite the moans coming from the bed.

"Thank the Goddess you came." She said, breathlessly. "We need you. Duane's getting out of control, just like he should be. I need you to stay with him. Hold him back. Katrin is fully dilated and ready to push. If he gets in the way again, I'm going to hit him."

"Hey! I'm here you know." Duane growled as he gripped his wife's hand.

"Yes, We're all aware." Marian grumbled, waving Duane back from the bed. Katrin groaned loudly, gripping at her belly once more, her face red. Marian grabbed her wrist and forced the hand away. "Are you ready to push?"

"Hell no! Get away from me!" Katrin shouted as tears began to spill down her cheeks. Terra whipped around as Katrin rocked backwards on the bed, her legs pulling at the ropes.

Terra raced back to the bed, checking the ropes around Katrin's ankles, before lifting her nightdress to take a look. Marian pressed a hand to Duane's chest and shoved him back, futilely. The woman looked to Locke, her brow knit together expectantly. Catching her meaning, he came forward, grabbing Duane's wrist and dragging him back. Confused, Duane looked at him and stumbled back a step.

"Duane, if you don't get out of the way, I swear I'm going to beat you." Marian growled as Katrin gave another moan. "Baby girl, you let us know when you're ready."

"Ready? Goddess! I was ready months ago! Get this thing out of me!"

"You have to push first." Terra said, brushing the nightdress past Katrin's knees and up her thighs. "And it's just about time."

Terra's hand vanished between Katrin's legs for a moment, her hand prodding gently at… Locke didn't want to think about it. Taking a breath, he directed the sweating man into a small chair in the corner, keeping a hand on his shoulder. Katrin groaned loudly and reached for her belly again, pushing at it before Marian could get her hand away.

"Stop it. That's not going to do you any good." Terra said gently, wiping at Katrin's face with a damp towel. "The only thing that's going to help you is to push."

"I can't!" Katrin sobbed, fresh tears spilling down her flushed cheeks. "It hurts too much."

Terra looked over Katrin's raised knees at Marian, who continued to rub at the pained woman's shoulders. Terra's brow knit as she pressed her fingers forward again, drawing a fresh sob from the younger woman. She reached beneath Katrin with both hands, pulling her forward as gently as she could. Katrin whimpered as she slipped further down the bed, allowing Marian to push more pillows beneath her to prop her up.

"Better?" Terra asked, rubbing at Katrin's hip.

"Yes," Katrin replied breathlessly. "It moved."

"Moved where?" Terra inquired, pressing forward again with her fingers.

"Down."

"That's good." The emerald haired woman said, a determined note in her voice. She leaned forward, brushing Katrin's nightgown further up her belly. Locke looked away as Terra spread Katrin's knees a bit more. Duane whimpered and tried to rise as Katrin cried out from the movement. Locke pushed him back down; muttering something he hoped was comforting.

"No no. Let me up. She needs me!" He begged, his brown eyes pleading with Locke.

"No, Duane." Locke replied, shaking his head. He placed himself between Duane and Katrin, trying to draw the man's attention to him. "She needs you to stay here and let her do her job."

"But, I love her." Duane whimpered as Katrin groaned again.

"Yes, she knows that. That's why she's doing this." Locke struggled to turn up the corners of his lips as Katrin gasped sharply behind him, her breathing speeding up dramatically. "She's doing this for you."

Locke raised a hand to wipe his sweat soaked hair from his eyes. It was too hot in here, for all of them. He shifted out of the way as Duane looked past him to the bed, keeping a grip on the younger man's shoulder. Duane was shaking beneath his fingertips as the man chewed on his lower lip. The young man grabbed at the hem of his damp shirt and twisted it between his hands, mangling it so badly his wife would kill him later.

"Mama." Katrin moaned, raising a hand to reach for Terra. She had moved to the side, covering a low table with pillows and towels. Terra looked over her shoulder at the young woman, turning completely when she saw the outstretched hand. Terra's brow knit as she allowed Katrin to grip her hand. There was a pained way she set her jaw as she gripped the woman's hand tightly, raising it to her mouth to kiss the white knuckles.

"Mama, I need to push." Katrin whined, tugging on Terra's hand.

Terra nodded and released her hand, stepping around between Katrin's legs once more. She leaned forward, pressing her fingers against Katrin once more before looking to Locke, her jaw set and her mouth a thin line of determination.

"Let him come." She said to Locke, tilting her head in Duane's direction.

Locke stepped aside as Duane rose from the chair and went to Katrin's side, hand outstretched. The woman reached for his hand, allowing him to slip an arm about her shoulders. He kissed her cheek and temple, muttering what could only be encouragement and love from the look on Katrin's face. She smiled up at him meekly before her face contorted with pain from a particularly strong contraction.

"You can do this." He heard Duane whisper. Locke shuddered as Katrin gasped again. It all came rushing back in that moment. The fear of what was to come. The fear of seeing that baby once it was free of its mother. What would he do? What would he feel?

"Duane," He heard Terra say gently over Katrin's gasps. "You can stay with her for the first few, but then I need you to stay back."

Duane nodded numbly as Marian patted his shoulder before pressing her hands against Katrin's shoulders again, rubbing gently. At Terra's nod, Marian bent forward by Katrin's head and told her to start. Katrin took several deep breaths before screwing up her face and leaning forward slightly. She held her breath, groaning as her belly and knees shook. She gasped again and settled back as Terra shook her head. Marian whispered again and Katrin repeated the process, her small frame shaking as she pushed. Terra bit her lip and leaned forward, trying to get a better view. She came up suddenly, asking Katrin to push again. Katrin started to do so, but stopped halfway and sobbed, crying out in pain. She sat up suddenly and gripped at her belly, her eyes wide. Marian gasped and grabbed the woman's shoulders, trying to drag her back.

Terra cursed and pressed her fingers forward again. Katrin cried out again, dropping back against the bed, her face twisted in agony. Duane grabbed at her shoulders, calling her name, fear written across his face. Katrin whimpered and flopped a hand on his wrist weakly, her breath coming it gasps.

"It hurts." She whimpered, tears leaking out of her eyes. "It hurts so much. Something's wrong."

"What's wrong?" Duane demanded, looking at Terra over his shoulder. "This didn't happen with Hope!"

"The baby is twisted inside." Terra replied, still focused on Katrin, her eyes fierce. "It must be caught up in the womb."

Katrin cried out as a powerful contraction rocked her, her whole body shuddering at once. Terra cursed again and muttered something about the time between the contractions being a problem.

"Are they crushing the baby?" Marian asked as Katrin cried out again, the sound pure agony.

"Yes." Terra said, swallowing hard. "Yes, we don't have much time. We could lose it."

Duane cried out in fear and anger at this statement, whipping around to face Terra. Locke surged forward and grabbed the man before he could reach for the woman. Duane was growling something over his shoulder as he dragged the man back to the chair, forcing him to sit down.

"Let go of me!" He demanded, eyes wild with anger. "She needs me!"

"Locke, I don't care what it takes. Keep him there!" Marian said, raising her voice over another cry. "Terra, what can we do?"

"I'm going to try and stretch the canal a little more."

"From the inside?" Marian asked, her face white from the thought. "Can't we just open her up?"

"No," Terra said as Katrin screamed out in protest, her eyes wide and bloodshot with fear. "It's too far into the canal, we could hurt both of them if we did that."

"Oh my Goddess! Save my baby!" Katrin shouted, her eyes wild as she fought against Marian's hands and tried to lean towards Terra. " Don't worry about me! Just save my baby!"

"Hush, little one." Terra said, coming up and reaching out to stroke at Katrin's face, reverting to the way she spoke to the children when they were sick or frightened. "I'm going to try. But it's going to hurt a lot."

"It can't be worse that this!" Katrin shouted, her voice growing shrill.

"Yes, it can." Terra said as Katrin sobbed again. "And it will. Take a few deep breaths, my little one. I'm going to help you give birth, but I need you to be strong."

"Help her?! What are you going to do?" Duane shouted, as he surged out of the chair. Locke grabbed him in a bear hug, throwing his arms about the man's broad chest in an attempt to keep him back.

"I'm going to do just that, Duane. I'm going to help your wife give birth." Terra said as gently as she could, her voice shaking. Locke could only guess what Terra had in mind, but whatever it was got Duane angrier.

"Hang onto him Locke!" Marian called as she pressed her weight down on Katrin's shoulders, forcing her down into the bed. Katrin screamed in pain, begging her 'Mama' to help her.

Amid the cacophony, Terra took a deep breath and bent, her face suddenly calm. Locke looked at her over his shoulder, reminded of watching her on the battlefield so long ago. She was like this back then too; an island of calm in an ocean of chaos. His heartbeat roared in his ears and beat painfully against his ribs as she raised a hand to push one of Katrin's legs aside. Katrin screamed again, surging upwards against Marian's grip, only to be forced back down. With Katrin's leg aside, Locke watched in awe and shock as Terra reached forward with her free hand and pushed her fingers upwards and into the birth canal. Duane roared and surged against him, forcing Locke to look away for a moment as he pushed the man back, drawing on all the strength he could find in his body.

Duane gripped his shoulder tightly, his thick fingers leaving spots of pain that would become bruises later. Locke braced his knees as heaved against Duane, throwing him into the wall. He growled at the man, unwilling to lose this battle of strength. He told Duane to stay here and trust Terra, drawing a terrified glance from the man. Duane nodded briefly and relaxed slightly, looking back over Locke's shoulder. Locke turned in time to watch as Terra's wrist turned, and she began to draw her hand back. But, from the way her wrist flexed, she had a hold of something.

Katrin shrieked deafeningly as Terra fell back, her other hand flying away from Katrin's leg to catch a red blur as it fell out of Katrin. Katrin continued to scream as something else followed, dragged by a thin thread. What ever it was, hit the table and burst, spraying the still bent Terra with blood. Locke watched as Terra fell back once more, his brain registering it as though it were happening in slow motion. Terra swallowed hard, her lips parting as her head tilted back, her gaze focused on the ceiling. She fell to her knees, gasping as she leaned forward, resting her forehead against the edge of the table. She cradled something tiny against her chest as she struggled to her feet without the use of her hands. As she turned away, his brain caught up and things started to move at normal speed once more. The roaring in his ears was suddenly cut through by Katrin's shrill screams of pain. Duane suddenly threw him aside and raced to the table, his arms outstretched to his wife. Katrin sobbed and fell against him reaching for him as he threw his arms about her. Marian stepped back and towards the table as Terra set the tiny red form down on the towels.

"Wait." Katrin cried, pushing away from her husband and sitting up on the bed., her expression bordering panic. "Why isn't it crying? Why isn't my baby crying?!"

Terra said nothing as she leaned over the infant, her face expressionless as she raised a towel to its face. Locke's feet began to move of their own accord, his steps hesitant as he approached Terra, not noticing Marian's glare. Terra's face suddenly broke into a kindly smile as she continued to wipe at the head, a faint laugh escaping her.

"Well, hello little one." She said softly. Katrin stiffened, her face a mask of hopefulness as her hands worried at the hem of her nightgown. Marian raced to the bedside, setting an arm against Katrin's chest and trying to force her back down onto the cushions. Her efforts were unsuccessful however, as Katrin just shoved her aside so she could see the table.

But Terra just kept smiling as Locke came to stand beside her, his heart thudding painfully as he tried to get a glimpse of the baby over her shoulder. She shifted aside, turning a quick glance at him over her shoulder. What was revealed was a tiny purple figure, struggling meekly against Terra as she kept wiping at its frail body. It was wrinkled and ugly; its face round and red as it pressed a hand into its cheek. Locke gazed down at the newborn in awe at this tiny alien, thing. But as Terra wiped its mouth clean, it started to cry and Locke's heart stopped beating. Terra looked up at him over her shoulder again; her bloody face beaming as she laughed lightly. Turning back to the infant, Terra reached for a bit of twine, tying off the trailing umbilical before cutting it away with a pair of freshly sharpened shears. A shaky smile tugged at his lips as Terra set the shears aside and began to wrap the infant in the towels it lay on.

"Oh yes, yes. I know baby. You're oh so needy." She chuckled; her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she lifted the wrapped infant up from the table, cradling it delicately to her breast. Locke set a hand on her shoulder and came up behind her, allowing her to lean against him as he looked down at the infant. It settled in her grasp, it's face becoming a little more human as she turned a smile up at Locke. Something warm spread through Locke at the look on her face. That joyful, motherly smile calmed his heart and warmed his bones as she stepped away from him and towards the bed. Marian came to her immediately, her eyes wide as she looked down at the little bundle. A broad smile curled her lips and her eyes glistened at the sight. She muttered a 'my goddess' before motioning Terra to the bed. Terra asked the newborn if it was ready to meet its parents, nodding to it and whispering sweet things before sitting down on the bed beside Katrin.

"Katrin, Duane." She began. "I want to introduce you to Bishop Michael. Your son."

Tears spilled down Katrin's ruddy cheeks as she reached for the baby, a smile curling her lips as she cradled the infant to her. She sobbed weakly as she pressed her nose into the newborn's cheek, inhaling deeply as she committed the smell of the newborn to memory. Duane straightened, turning wide eyes to Terra as his mouth hung open in awe.

"I-I have a son?!" He asked, a broad smile on his handsome face. Terra nodded to the affirmative sending tears down Duane's face as well as he crawled onto the bed. Terra stood, raising a hand to wipe the blood from her face, scoffing as the sticky liquid just smeared across her cheek.

"What happened?" Marian asked, bringing her a towel.

"The afterbirth hit the table and burst. No damage done." Terra replied as she rubbed her face into the towel. "We have a visitor, can you let her in?"

A knowing smile curled Marian's lips as she stepped away from Terra and leaned out the door, looking around the corner, into the dark den. She called to someone outside, a sweet smile on her lips as she motioned for them to enter. Hope came into the room, gasping from her own sobs and cradling her rabbit to her chest. She rubbed her nose in the rabbit's head as she looked past Marian and into the room, her little body shaking like a leaf despite the heat.

"Everybody is crying." She gasped, her breath hitching from her crying. "Is mommy dead?"

"No, your mommy is fine." Marian said gently, kneeling before the little girl. "She did a very good job."

"Is that Hope?" Katrin asked from the bed, her voice quiet now that she held her son. "Bring me my girl."

Marian stepped aside as Hope rushed past her, running into her father's open arms. Duane laughed as he picked up his daughter and set her on the bed, pressing a kiss into her golden curls. Hope leaned forward to look at the little bundle, allowing her mother to kiss her head as well.

"It's so…ugly." The girl said, wrinkling her nose at the baby.

"Yes, they always look like that when they come out." Katrin said with a laugh. "He'll look better tomorrow. I promise."

"He?" Hope asked, beaming. "I have a little brother?"

"Yes you do, big girl." Duane said, rubbing at his daughter's shoulders. "This is Bishop. You're baby brother. What do you think?"

Hope screwed up her face, looking at the baby good and hard for a moment.

"I like him." She said, leaning down to kiss the baby's head. "I like him a lot."

--

The sun was high overhead as Locke stepped out of the house, uncertainly cradling the bundle in his arms. The baby was quiet as he held it to his chest, taking careful steps as he moved around to the side of the house. Bishop was only two days old, and they'd already left him in the care of the most inexperienced man in the village. What the hell were they thinking?

Terra looked up at him as he came around the side of the house, a smile on her lips as she scrubbed at a piece of clothing in the washtub. She shook her head, chuckling as he threw her a helpless look.

"So, how did this happen again?" He asked. "I have no idea what to do with this thing."

"He's not a thing Locke." She said, chuckling. Her eyes sparkled as she straightened to hang what proved to be a pair of pants up on the line. "He's a baby. You hold him, change him and talk to him. Everything else you leave to his mother."

"Yes, but, what do I do with it?"

Terra laughed outright as she pressed her hands into the small of her back. She shook her head once more and stepped around the washtub, coming to stand before him. She leaned over the infant, gazing down into its face before stepping back and turning a smile to him.

"You're doing what you should be." She said her amethyst eyes sparkling. "You're keeping him happy."

"Oh, yes. He's happy." Locke scowled. "But what about me?"

"What about you?" She asked, looking back at him as she brushed a stay lock of hair away from her face. Locke gaped at her, uncertain of what to say underneath the smug smirk that curled her lips. His shoulders slumped as he looked down at the baby, his face hot.

"Look," She said as she bent to scrub at another bit of clothing. "I know that babies are hard, especially when you've never dealt with one before. But, holding Bishop at arms length and ignoring him while you wallow about isn't doing either of you any good."

"I'm not wallowing." Locke protested. "And I'm holding him aren't I?"

Terra laughed again, the sound echoing off the home fronts. She straightened once more and laid another piece of clothing up on the line before starting on another.

"It's a figure of speech Locke." She replied, amusement coloring her voice. " What I mean, is that you have to settle down and just be with him. You can go about your day, just include him in it." She strung up the new piece and picked something up off the table before approaching him, tugging at the ribbons that hitched her skirt up while she worked. The newly freed fabric tossed in the gentle breeze as she looked up at him, a faint smile on her lips. "Here, try this."

He blinked at her as she reached over his head, slipping a strange loop of fabric over one of his shoulders and across his chest. She reached out and took the infant from him, instructing him to get the loop comfortably situated about himself. Once she was satisfied, she directed him to stretch out the fabric at his waist. When he did so, she carefully set Bishop into the fabric, successfully creating a sling for the baby to rest in.

"Now," She said, offering him a bright smile. "Is that better?"

Locke dropped his arms, amazed at her ingenuity. He looked down at the baby, who seemed comfortable enough in its little pouch. He found himself smiling as Bishop shifted, rubbing at his face with a meek hand. Locke brought his hands up beneath the sling, wrapping his arms about the baby once more. He could feel Terra's eyes on him as she stepped away, going back to her laundry.

"How's Katrin?" He asked, not taking his eyes off the little face. Bishop really was kind of cute, despite how alien he looked. Locke rubbed at the bottom of the sling as he rocked back and forth absently, watching as Bishop opened his eyes for the briefest of moments, flashing what would soon be a brown iris at him.

"She's fine." Terra replied, her back to him as she tipped the washtub over, allowing the water to flow down the hill. She propped it up against the house and hung her washboard in its customary place on the side of the worktable. Wiping her hands on her skirt, she turned to him, brushing her long ponytail back over her shoulder. "Still tired, but doing well. She's determined to make it out to the vegetable garden today, with Bishop."

"Why take him out there? He's too little." Locke said, pressing a hand into the baby's back for support. Though the sling supported Bishop's weight, he still felt like he should be hanging on to him.

"She won't be doing anything but walking." Terra said, smiling gently. "She needs to start moving again or she'll go crazy, she says. I don't blame her. And soon, she and Duane will take him to meet his grandparents. She wants to be strong enough by then to make that climb without help. She refuses to show her mother a weak face."

Locke didn't say anything as Terra came to stand beside him, stretching her neck out to look down at the baby. She reached slowly into the sling to rub at a smear on his cheek with her thumb. She chuckled faintly, keeping her eyes on Bishop as Locke looked at her. Her face was different somehow in that moment. Sure, it was still sickly thin and pale; but there was a strange glow to it when she smiled. She leaned closer to him, pressing a hand against the bottom of the sling as Bishop whimpered, her fingers rubbing tiny circles against the baby's spine.

"It's amazing isn't it?" She asked suddenly, her voice soft. "How this beautiful little thing suddenly popped out of nowhere?"

"Yeah," Locke agreed numbly, caught up in the expression on her face and how close she was. Heat rushed through him in a wave as she glanced up at him, her eyes fathomless as she offered him a tiny smile. She was glowing in the brilliant sunlight as she stood there, leaning over the baby in his arms and smiling up at him. She brushed her bound hair back over her shoulder, and away from the baby, the emerald strands sparkling in the sunlight as she looked back at the baby. "Amazing…"

"I can take him if you want." Terra offered, straightening. She shifted away from him, wiping her hands on her skirt once more. A strange ache formed in his chest as she stepped away, longing for her to return. "They shouldn't have dumped him on you. I think Valda is trying to get you to want one of your own. I'm sorry."

Locke just blinked at her as she blushed, embarrassed over the other woman's actions. She rubbed nervously at her shoulder when she noticed his gaze, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

"What is it?" She asked, her blush deepening as she cast her eyes to the dusty ground. Locke stumbled for words, trying to figure out what to say.

_'Oh, yeah. Sorry Terra, I was just thinking about how hot you are when you're looking at a baby and doing laundry.'_

Ha! He felt like an idiot, standing there in the wind, holding a baby he wasn't sure how to feel about. Doing the one thing Celes was all but begging him to do; looking after it, caring for it. And if that wasn't bad enough; here was Terra, sweet loving Terra, who supported his relationship with Celes, making him feel like a love struck teenager.

_You're a real piece of work, Cole. Go you._

He cringed inwardly as he mentally berated himself. He shouldn't be here, holding someone else's baby and staring at a woman he considered to be one of his best friends like a fool. Now what was he supposed to do? He couldn't lie to Terra; he respected her too much. And, every time he tried, he stumbled over the words and ended up telling the truth anyway. Goddess, he needed help.

"You…you have mommy-face." He choked out, grasping at the first coherent words that came to his lips. Terra just stared at him for a moment as he nervously ran a hand through his silver hair, his face growing hot once more. It had been doing that a lot lately and it was driving him downright batty. Celes never made him blush like this. Sure, she made him dizzy as a fool, but never self-conscious. Terra started to laugh as he stood there, just looking at her, embarrassed by his dumb statement. She held a hand to her mouth and one at her stomach as she bent, laughing not at him, but at herself, he realized.

"Mommy-face?" She asked between laughs. "That's a good way to describe it. I'll have to remember that."

Locke just chuckled as she reached for the infant once more. He struggled to transfer the sling, but was successful in the end. Terra settled the sling about her comfortably, wrapping her arms about it as she peeked down at Bishop's face once more, another of those motherly smiles curling her lips. She slipped a hand within, running her fingers down the little face as Bishop yawned, curling his hands by his face.

A breeze slipped past them, tossing loose strands about Terra's face as she rocked from side to side, taking a moment to allow the motion to put the baby to sleep. Locke could only stare as Terra bent her head; pressing her cheek as delicately as she could against the top of the infants cloth covered head.

Was this what motherhood looked like?

His mouth was dry as he watched the lovely woman and her precious bundle. It was something he never thought he'd find attractive, let alone as beautiful as the image was. But, try as he might, he could not replace Terra's image with one of Celes. It made him uncomfortable, and made his stomach roil strangely. Why couldn't he do it? Why did the thought almost hurt? He shook his head, trying to get his pounding heart under control as he stepped closer to his friend, laying a hand on her shoulder as he peered down at the infant. And, as he stood there, close to her like this, he ached to be like her. He wanted to be able to calm the tiny thing like she could. To care for it the way she did; and it frightened him. But, the thought was so alluring, so strangely addicting that he couldn't have denied it if he wanted to.

"Terra?" He asked, his voice shaking. "Can you teach me? To handle him? Like you?"

Terra just smiled.

--

End chapter. Reviews are very much appreciated, and needed if this is going to get better. Do it. It only takes a second.


	6. The Waltz

Ah, the chapter the author has been waiting for. The waltz idea was what spurred me to write this story in the first place. And yes, I must appologize for the Japanese lyrics. Now, I'm not an anime fan. I have my few, but that's it. The song is actually from the Utena film, not the series. Come on, Utena rocked. The only reason it's listed is because I was listening to the song when I had the idea for the story. Oh yeah, and the way I see Setzer is probably very different from the way everyone else does. So, do forgive me.

**Warnings:** Foul language, blood and plot devices.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Final Fantasy 6. Nor to I own Toki Ni Ai Wa. It is owned by the company that owns Utena.

The Moments Between Us:

**Moment 6:**

The Waltz

**Five years, ten months, two weeks, one day, eighteen hours, five minutes since the death of Kefka Palazzo.**

Terra had not been surprised when Locke told her that he needed to leave. She knew he would not be able to stay forever, no matter how much he had come to like Bishop, and vice versa. She'd spent time with Locke, showing him how to change and feed the baby then allowing him to do so himself. She laughed herself almost silly at the look on his face the first time he'd had to change a messy diaper. Thankfully, Locke had ended up laughing in the end as well, threatening to throw the soiled cloth at her for finding it funny.

Katrin had taken to trusting Locke with the baby more and more, especially when he proved he was able to fill the needs of the other children at the same time. He had juggled with it a first, getting frustrated, but somehow kept his head. The sling had made things much easier for him as time went on, and he had the proverbial hang of things surprisingly quickly.

Terra's heart had jerked in her chest when Locke had come back from the field three days ago and told her he had to leave. But, she couldn't stop him, no matter how much she wanted to. He needed to be home, with Celes, talking about having children of their own. From what Terra had seen in his time with Bishop; Locke was ready. He was more than ready to have a child; but there was something holding him back. She could see it in his face when he told her he was leaving; a strange shadow in his eyes, as though he didn't want Celes to know he enjoyed the baby.

So, she would keep his secret for him. She would wait, and hope that Celes was not with him if he chose to return. Terra knew all to well the problems the two of them were having. At times it was the only thing Celes would talk about when she could get the time to come. The last time Celes had ranted to her, Terra had wanted to rip the blonde's hair out and scream at her to leave him alone. But, she could not do that to Celes. But, at the same time, she couldn't watch Celes torment Locke.

_Torment your best friend…_

Terra sighed at the thought, setting her brush down on the vanity. Staring into her little mirror, she bound her hair up with a ribbon, her fingers sliding along the battered fabric somewhat sadly. She cringed as she threw her ponytail back over her shoulder. Her hair had become coarse and straw-like in the past few months, but she could not spare the time or gold to care for it.

Shaking her head, Terra left her room leaving her worries for her hair behind her with the mirror. She paused in the living room to open the windows for the day, her eyes falling mournfully on a cracked pane. The house needed work. Work she could not afford to buy materials for. It was a miracle the windows in this little house lasted as long as they had, but that miracle was fading away. She'd have to do something about it before the winter. Frowning, she left the house, fighting the temptation to look back at the decaying exterior of the little cottage she had come to love so much.

As she came down the small hill her house sat upon, she spied a thin trail of smoke puffing its way out of the crooked chimney of the meeting hall. With a faint smile, she made for the battered building, as she did every morning, for a bit of quiet before the children came out for the day. They'd be waking up soon, and breakfast needed to be almost ready by the time they came bursting out of Katrin's front door.

She found Marian crouching by the hearth at the end of the hall, shoving a poker into the logs to raise the flames. Terra offered what she hoped was a pleasant sounding greeting as she tugged an apron down from the wall and wrapped it about her waist. Marian looked over her shoulder and smiled before rising, leaving the fire to work itself up.

"Morning glorious." Marian said brightly as she slipped across the large hall to drag out a loaf of bread to set on the stone hearth to warm. "We're down to our last two loaves, we'll need to make up some more later today."

"All right," Terra said as she bent to retrieve an empty basket from a low cupboard. "I can set up the stove after breakfast. We should be done before noon."

Marian nodded as Terra left for the chicken yard, her basket tucked under her arm. The sun shown down on her, warming her bones as she came around the side of Katrin and Duane's dark house, the sounds of the chicken yard filling the air. Terra paused beside the house to fill a little bucket with chicken feed before continuing to the coop. The village's five chickens milled about peacefully in their small yard, clucking at her as she came to them. Terra smiled as she stepped through the rickety old gate, setting her basket aside as she spread seed across the ground. The chickens clucked and bumped each other to get to the food as she made for the tiny shack they lived in. Terra collected the eggs throw a small shutter in the side of the coop, frowning as she set the five tiny eggs into the basket. Such little eggs for so many mouths. She shook her head again. They needed more chickens, but could not afford to buy a rooster or the feed that would be needed.

A scuffling at the far end of the yard caught her attention, drawing her away from her saddening train of thought. Stepping around the edge of the shack, Terra found herself gazing into the wide brown eyes of one of the new lambs. It bleated up at her as it chewed on the wire fencing about the yard, drawing a heartfelt smile out of her.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked it, reaching out a finger to rub at the edge of its nose. It blinked up at her, its eyes bright as it skipped away from the fence. Terra left the chicken yard, locking the gate behind her as she trailed after the lamb, watching it skip about. It meandered towards the fenced yard where they kept the sheep during the night, bleating for its mother. A ewe poked her head out between the fence posts and called to it, her tone almost berating.

"Hold on, mother," Terra said to the ewe with a smile, setting her basket in a safe spot on the ground. "I'll get it."

She caught the lamb surprisingly easily, keeping a grip on its strong back legs as she held it to her chest. It wiggled in her grasp, bleating meekly as she leaned over the fence and dropped it into the pen with its mother. Bracing her hands on the fence, Terra smiled at the small herd of sheep. They had ten now, enough to keep them clothed throughout the winter and to teach the children how to care for livestock. Thankfully, the sheep were easy to care for. Nestor took them out to pasture every day, saving them from having to buy food for the herd. It was the same for the two cows they kept here in Mobliz. Just take them to pasture and they cared for themselves.

"Mama?" A young male voice questioned. Turning, Terra found Nestor coming down the little path to the yard. She smiled at him as he brushed his brown hair away from his bright blue eyes. Nestor offered a toothy smile as he reached for the shepherds crook that leaned against the fence post. "Is everything all right?"

"Mhm." Terra mumbled with a nod. "Just chasing a lamb. It got out somehow."

"Oh, that's just Briar, she gets out all the time." The youth said as he came to stand beside her. "She's figured out how to climb the fence, but she never goes far and always comes home. It's like having a dog."

"Is there any way to stop her?" Terra asked, raising an eyebrow. A loose lamb was a problem. It could draw wolves or worse into the village, and they couldn't afford to lose any livestock to hungry jaws.

"No," He replied, shaking his head. "But, like I said, she never goes far. She won't go past the stable without her mother. And, the cows have taken to herding her home."

"Thank the Goddess!" Terra said with a laugh, rubbing at her neck. "Still, if we can find a way to keep her here, I'd feel safer. We don't need wolves in the village."

"Yeah," Nestor said, chuckling nervously. "Hate those things. Locke said he had an idea how to keep her in the pen, but he left before he told me. Hopefully I'll be able to figure it out though. Who knows, maybe he'll come back and help."

"With any luck." Terra replied with a smile, though her heart fell in her chest. There was no way to know if Locke would come back any time soon, especially with the anniversary so close. "Do you have enough to eat?"

"Yes." Nestor said with a grin, raising a little cloth sack laden with bread and fruit for her to see. "And I have my slate for practicing, and my knife."

"Good." She said with a nod and a smile. "Keep yourself busy."

Nestor allowed her to kiss his cheek before he set off to herd the sheep out to the small pasture they spent the morning in. She watched as he drove them along expertly, nudging at them gently with the crook when they went astray. A sigh escaped her as he vanished over a hill, the bleats of the herd a whisper on the wind. Nestor would be fifteen soon and ready to leave the village if he chose. What would they do without him?

A clatter sounded at the edge of the village, drawing her attention away from her thoughts. Taking up her basket once more, she set out up the path to seek out the source of the noise. She came around the stable as a chocobo drawn cart came into the square, a familiar old man sitting in the seat. Terra waved to the man as he crawled down from his seat, offering him a smile.

"Mr. Theyo," She said, brightly. "Good morning."

"Ah. Mornin' there, Miss Terra." He greeted presenting her with a gap-toothed grin. She shook his hand amiably, balancing her basket on one hip. "How're the kids?"

"They're wonderful, as always." She said, nodding to him. "They've turned out a nice batch of flour this time, so I hope you'll enjoy it."

"Always do." Mr. Theyo chuckled as he slipped around to the back of the cart and unhooked the tailgate. Terra could only smile as the old man fought with the latch, trying to unhook it. Mr. Theyo came once a month to collect flour from the village to use in his wife's bakery. This kindly old man was one of the few points of income Mobliz had. He hadn't bought flour from anyone else for four years and she suspected it was more from pity than anything else. But she wasn't one to complain. Ten gold pieces for each bag of flour was a good price, especially for an old fashioned bakery like the one Mrs. Theyo ran. They were the cheapest around, and Mr. and Mrs. Theyo's little secret.

"Darn uneven trail mangled the latch again." The man grumbled as he set the tailgate down successfully. "Oh well, it fixes with a pinch. How many bags can ye spare today, Miss Terra?"

"We have three for you." She replied, smiling.

"Oh, good."

She led him to the stable and helped him haul the heavy bags back to the cart, loading them into the bed. The grizzled old chocobo tethered to the cart danced back and forth, rumbling as it jostled about. Mr. Theyo murmured to the bird, patting its side gently once they'd finished loading. The bird ruffled its feathers and nibbled at the man's hat once it calmed.

"Old boy's getting skittish." The man muttered as he came to stand with Terra once more. He passed her a pouch full of gold with a smile, patting her hand amiably. "Thanks much, Miss Terra."

"You're very welcome Mr. Theyo." She said gently, a faint smile tugging at her lips as she wiped sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"Oh, no thank ya, Miss Terra." He said with a chuckle. "I ate with the Missus before I left. But, I have some mail for ya."

Terra raised an eyebrow in curiosity as the man reached up into the seat and pulled out a crisp envelope. Her shoulders slumped as he handed it to her, the Figaro postmark mocking her. She thanked him and saw him off before she picked up her egg basket and returned to the meeting hall, studying the envelope in her hand. She knew all too well what the envelope contained, but she was still filled with dread at the thought of opening it.

Valda had joined Marian in the hall when Terra entered, the woman offering her a brilliant smile. But the look on Terra's face must have been shadowed for Valda's brightness faded away almost instantly. Terra set the eggs down absently as she turned the envelope over in her hand, eyeing the wax seal pressed in with the king's signet ring.

"Is that what I think it is?" Valda asked, as Terra sat down, setting the envelope on the table before her. At Terra's silent nod, she heaved a sigh, muttering something about kings under her breath.

"Its bigger this year." Marian commented as she leaned over Terra's shoulder to gaze at the seal. "You should open it."

"I don't want to." Terra said, slouching in her seat. She gazed at it like it was a funeral notice, her eyelids heavy and her shoulders slumped.

"Oh please," Marian scoffed. "You already now what it is. And just because it's here doesn't mean that you have to go. They'll come to you, they always do."

Terra sighed and nodded, brushing absently at a stray lock of hair. Marian was right; just because it was here didn't mean that she had to go. Reaching over, she slipped a badly chewed and torn nail beneath the wax and opened the envelope, drawing the invitation from within. It was much bigger this year, garnished in black and violet velvet and strew with blue glitter. A sweeping script invited her to the annual celebration of the fall of Kefka, held at Figaro castle.

Edgar had pulled out all the stops on the invitation this year. It was so beautiful it begged her to go, not unlike a wedding invitation. But, when it came to Edgar, it may as well have been for a wedding. He always sent her the most lavish of the invitations, hoping to draw her to the castle each year, and looking at this one, he almost got his way. She set the invitation down on the table, and propped her elbows up on the wood, resting her face in her hands.

He'd never stop, would he? Five years of refusal and he was still trying to get her to move to Figaro. But, Terra knew, from there it was move to the castle, then into the Queen's throne. He needed to stop, he really did. She didn't love him. She never had. Terra didn't love anyone that way. She didn't care.

But, Edgar never would stop. He'd been after her since the day she'd met him, and he couldn't take a hint. But, he was a king and wasn't used to being told no. But then, with the perfection of Locke and Celes' relationship, it only made sense that another would follow. Or, at least, that's what the fairytales said.

"Damn," Valda said, as she leaned over the table to look at the invitation. "Honey, he wants you bad."

"I know." Terra replied, a smile tugging at her lips as Marian whistled in awe at the velvet-clad parchment.

"Boy likes to throw money around, doesn't he?" The scarred beauty said as she returned to the fire to set the kettle on, just as Ava came in with the milk.

"Is that the invitation?" The girl said, her eyes bright. "Oo! I want to see!"

She came to the table, and leaned past Terra, gazing down at it with the wide-eyed awe of a peasant girl. She 'oo'ed and 'aw'ed over it, telling Terra how lucky she was, but Terra could only force a smile.

"It is lovely isn't it?" She said, admiring the invitation once more. "It's a shame how much work went into this though. I'm not going."

"What? Again? Why?" Ava asked, her eyes wide.

"Because I'm needed here. Hope's birthday is that day and Jacoby's birthday is only two days after, and there's work to be done. The houses need to be repaired before winter, and we all need new roofs this year." Terra replied, wiping her hands on her apron.

"It's nothing we can't handle though." Valda chimed as she turned to set the kettle on. "Ava, can you help get the kids up?

Ava offered her mother a pretty pout, but complied. She turned one last glance down at the invitation, a faint trace of longing in her eyes. At twelve years of age, Ava was drawn to the glamour and mystery of the court. She was a social blossom and Terra would have given anything to take her to Figaro. But, Terra couldn't go herself, and had no way of making the young woman a dress worthy of her first appearance in the king's court. Edgar would have loved to have her properly introduced to him, and wouldn't have cared how she was dressed, but that didn't make things any easier.

Terra sighed and looked down at the invitation. The pale blue glitter caught the light of the steadily rising sun and flashed prettily. A smile tugged at her lips as the velvet glistened, begging her to join the party. She'd be lying if she said she didn't want to go. But at the same time, she dreaded returning to Figaro. Terra had never been comfortable at court, and Edgar's constant favor of her made her nervousness worse.

No, she didn't need to be there. Edgar would dote on her and the others would clamor around her, wanting her attention and asking a thousand questions she didn't want to answer. And then, Edgar would ask her to dance and she'd refuse, afraid she'd step on his feet or fall, and he'd just laugh and say it didn't matter. But, she would refuse and consent to let him drag her around as a consolation.

"Terra." Marian said suddenly, leaning over her. "You should go. You haven't seen them all together for a long time and they do deserve your attention."

"Yes, I know. But…"

"No," Marian cut her off. "No excuses. No 'buts'. No nothing. We can handle things here for a few days. You need to take a break from all this. Get out, take a vacation."

"A vacation?" Terra asked, surprised. "I can't take a vacation. Now that Bishop's here, we've lost another set of hands again, and I can't afford to run off and go play princess."

"Yes you can." Valda cut in suddenly, her brow knit with annoyance at Terra's statement. "And you should. Every woman deserves to strut her stuff every now and then, especially when she helped save the world."

"Stuff?" Terra questioned as she rose from her chair. Annoyance wrote itself across her face as she stepped away from the table, crossing her arms over her small chest. "What stuff have I got? I live in a small, run down village, past the point of poor, struggling to survive. Some hero I am."

"Just because you're poor does not take away what you are, Terra." Marian grumbled, setting a frying pan on the hearth to warm before she could start cooking. " You're still a hero, even if it's just to a village full of orphaned children and handful of battered adults. Heroes should be seen, not hidden away."

"Yes, they should be. But, I look nothing like a hero any more." Terra said, her annoyance growing into anger. "And, even if I did go; I have nothing to wear. And no money to buy a dress."

"So we'll make you one." Valda said, hands raised in an attempt to calm the escalating anger.

"With what money for fabric?" Terra demanded. "We got thirty gold today from Mr. Theyo. And we have to save it!"

"Yes." Valda replied, her eyes shining at the news. "Thirty more added to the hundred that we have put away. That's more than we expected to have. We can at least use some of the extra to get some fabric."

"We shouldn't spend any of it!" Terra all but snarled, her hands dropping to her sides.

"Terra, will you stop?" Marian growled, her voice rising in volume. "It's not a problem. Will you just give it up and let yourself have fun?"

"I can't!" Terra snarled back. "I just can't do it."

"Why not?"

"Look at me!" Terra cried, in response. She faced Marian fully, motioning down at her frail form. "I'm a skeleton! I can't go to court like this. They'd laugh at me. Sure, you can put a pretty dress on me, and put my hair up, but it doesn't take away the ugly truth. I'm ugly now!"

Tears began to spill unbidden down Terra pale cheeks as she allowed herself to stamp a foot. There was no denying it now; she looked awful. There was no way she could face the court of Figaro looking the way she did. Her allergy had taken everything away from her; her hair, her figure, even her self-esteem. She was a mere shadow of what she had once been, and it embarrassed her.

"Terra," Valda gasped, astonished. "Terra, you're a beautiful woman."

"Beautiful? Where do you get that from?" Terra demanded, exasperation sending more tears down her face. "I'm so thin you might as well be able to see right through me. My hair is destroyed and I'm gaunt as a ghost. And on top of it all, I have no breasts anymore! What kind of woman doesn't have any breasts?"

Terra crossed her arms over her chest, cradling what had once been a rather lovely endowment. She gave a weak sob and leaned back against the wall, the sudden acceptance of her poor health crushing her and leaving her a ball of heartbreak.

"I-I look like I have the sickness." She wept, her breath hitching. It was true; the mirror never lied. She'd seen women with the sickness in Anthem. Those that survived it lost their breasts. Others died when it got into their lungs or their stomach. Or the brain fever took them from their families, when the sickness went for their heads. Marian and Valda were silent as Terra tried to calm herself, their faces down cast in agreement.

"Looking like it and having it are two different things." Marian said gently, coming forward and laying her hands on Terra's shoulders in comfort. Terra looked up at her, her eyes weak and misty. "We can help you. We can make it better."

"I-in a month?" Terra asked, her lips quivering. "How?"

"Well, it won't be perfect, and it'll take more than a month to make you look proper again. But, you'll be at least healthy by the time of the party. We'll start small at first, broth and some vegetables three times a day, with the family. Then, after a few days, full meals. It'll get you're nutrition back. You'll gain some weight and get your color back, and wake your chest up." Marian said, a smirk tugging at her lips at this last.

"But, the coughing. I'll throw it all up." Terra said, eyes wide at Marian's suggestions.

"Well, there's nothing we can do about that right now." The woman replied, placing a hand on Terra's cheek. "But, even if you do get sick, you'll still be getting something out of it."

"Still, we shouldn't spend the money. And I can't go, we have work to do." Terra said sadly, shaking her head.

"Yes you can. And you will." Valda consoled, a mother's smile curling her lips. "Its no trouble."

"But, Jacoby…"

"Take him with you." Marian chimed, a bright smile lighting her face. "For his birthday."

"That's a wonderful idea." Valda smiled. "He'll love it. Now, let's get started."

"After breakfast." Marian stated, patting Terra on the shoulder. Terra looked up at her with weak eyes, conceding to them.

--

**Countdown: fifty-six minutes to the sixth year after the death of Kefka Palazzo.**

The hot desert wind blew through her cloak as Terra trudged along between the low dunes of the Figaro wastes. She dragged the thick canvas around her to cut out the touch of the sun as she paused on the sand to look back at her son. Jacoby was walking slowly, their long journey finally taking its toll on him. She cast her gaze to the morning sky as he caught up, taking a moment to rest.

She'd forgotten how lovely the sky over the desert was at this time of year. A desert hawk called out overhead as it weaved back and forth on the rising thermal winds, its copper feathers shining in the sunlight. She sighed as she watched, a smile tugging at her lips. They'd fought for this view, this sky, this sand. And they'd won. She set a hand on the hilt of the Ragnarok, reveling in the feel of it hanging from her belt again. She'd had to use it a few times on their journey here, and it had gotten her blood flowing in a way that reminded her exactly what they had done for this world.

Terra turned her gaze to her tired son, eyeing the knife sheathed at his belt. He'd seen his first battle on the way here and had proved to be a level headed fighter. She wasn't surprised to find him using his head more than his heart when it came down to it in battle. He'd always thought just like her; find every factor in every part of a problem and use them to your advantage. Jacoby had also proven just how much he depended on his left hand during their journey. While his left was working the knife, his right was swinging a fist.

_Just like Locke…_

Surprised by the thought, she caught her breath and curled a gloved hand at her breast. The wind tossed her hood about uncomfortably as she looked once more to the sky. She'd never once put thought into Locke being left handed, like her son, so why did it appear now? And what was stranger was that Jacoby fought much like her friend, using his agility to his advantage, not his strength.

"Mother," Jacoby panted, drawing her from her thoughts. "How much farther is it?"

"Not far at all, my love." Terra replied, setting a hand on her son's cloaked shoulder as he bent, bracing his hands on his knees. "We'll be there around noon."

"Oh, good." He said, straightening. "I don't think I can take much more of this heat."

"Don't worry," She said plaintively as she started off once more. "We'll be there soon."

--

Surely enough, within the hour, the great stonewalls of Figaro castle appeared on the horizon, a black splash against an endless ocean of gold sands. Terra kept up her stride, the going much easier now that the shifting sands had given way to hard packed dirt. She threw a glance back over her shoulder at her son. His face was red beneath the hood of his heavy cloak, and she hoped it was just from the long walk out of South Figaro. Her fears were settled when he offered her a tiny smile.

Guards appeared in the high outer walls as they approached, their spears flashing in the sunlight. A pair of young soldiers met them at the gate, preventing their entrance into the grand castle. Terra dug in her pack for the invitation, blushing faintly as she passed the badly crumpled envelope to one of the soldiers. The young man offered her a bright smile before nodding to his companion. The other soldier motioned for them to follow him into the guardhouse where they were met by a young female page.

The page led them into the carriage yard through a door in the guardhouse wall. As they sped across the yard, Terra gazed steadily at the many lavish carriages that lined the far wall. It had been a long time since she'd seen such wealth, and the fine polished woods of the carriages left her feeling strange. She heaved a grateful sigh as the girl opened a door on the far side of the yard and directed them into a hallway in the castle's interior.

"Heavens it's hot." The page said, wiping at her forehead as she turned to look at her charges. "The guard said you have one of the king's personal invitations. Would you like me to let him know you've arrived?"

"No, no. That's alright." Terra said quickly, waving a hand, still not quite certain she wanted to be here. "This is sort of a surprise."

"Ah, gotcha." The page said with a wink and a cheeky smile that made Terra blush. "Do you have a preference as to were your room is?

"Something close, if possible. We've come a long way, and we need to rest and clean up." Terra answered, her blush fading.

The girl nodded brightly and led them down the hall and up a small flight of steps. High windows flooded the hall at the top of the stairs with brilliant golden light and provided wonderful panoramic view of the vast desert. Jacoby stopped at one of the windows and stared out, caught up in the ocean of gold. Terra called to the page to stop before coming to her son's side. His brow knit together in wonder as he raised a gloved hand to touch the glass, his green eyes focused on his fingers. Terra's shoulders slumped with understanding as he settled both his hands palm flat against the pane. He turned a bright smile to her as she set a hand on his dusty shoulder.

"Mother, it's huge!" He said excitedly as he looked back to the window. "I've never seen a window this big! And there's more down the hall. How did they do this?"

"With a lot of money," Terra said gently, her heart hanging sadly in her chest. She had to wonder if bringing Jacoby to Figaro had been such a good idea after all. He was so amazed by a simple pane of glass that the severity of the poverty of Mobliz struck her like a bolt of lightening. This party would be the first time Jacoby would meet with his peers in a social setting, and she feared that he would be mocked for his simplicity. The thought sent a chill up her spine as she reached for him. "Come on, let's get cleaned up. There will be much more to see at the party."

Jacoby nodded, his dirty face tired, but his eyes bright. The page came to them, her brow knit as Jacoby pulled his hands back, his gloves leaving dust marks on the glass. Terra took his hand and motioned for the page to lead them once more. The girl wrinkled her nose but obliged, leading them quickly to a room at the far end of the hall. She ushered them in quickly and said she'd send for a servant before vanishing out the door.

With the page gone, Terra turned her tired eyes to the room, a faint smile tugging at her lips. It was a fair size for the two of them, with two beds against one wall and a dresser and vanity against another. She was surprised to find a small bathing room attached to their room, the great stone bath a sight her eyes were glad to see. The though of taking a real bath, not just a simple washing, brought a smile to her lips. Setting her pack on the floor beside one of the beds, Terra slipped out of her filthy cloak and motioned for Jacoby to do the same. Once free of the heavy canvas, she hung the cloaks on a hook beside the door and went across the room to open the single, wide window in the far wall.

"Do you feel up to unpacking? Or would you rather wait for a bath?" She asked her son as a fresh breeze drifted in through the window, tossing the gossamer drapes about.

"I...don't know." The young man muttered as he sagged down onto a bed, bracing his elbows on his knees and setting his face in his hands. "I kind of just want to sleep."

Terra chuckled faintly and rubbed at his shoulder as she bent to pick up his pack. He looked up at her, brow wrinkled, as she set the heavy pack on the bed and began pulling things from within. She waved off his protests and told him to relax as she drew his suit from within the pack and hung it in a closet set into the wall. She chewed her lower lip as she smoothed the suit out on its hanger. Canaan had given Jacoby this suit the day Terra had told them they were leaving. It had been the man's wedding suit and Terra had refused to take it from him, it was too special. Canaan had just laughed and said that he would never wear it again. It had taken a lot of adjusting, but she had gotten it to the point where the suit fit Jacoby well enough, even if it was still a bit too big. But, the suit had become threadbare with its age, and there was nothing Terra could do to save its appearance. Once again, Terra's fear for her son's social success rose in her chest.

She closed the closet as a faint knock sounded at the door, followed by the soft voice of a servant. Crossing the room, she opened the door to allow a pair of older women laden with buckets of warm water into the room. They pushed past her with bright smiles and made for the bathing room, quickly filling the bath before setting out various soaps. A third servant followed a moment later, her arms filled with towels and clean robes for them.

"Oh, thank you." Terra said in surprise as they bustled about. "You don't have to…"

"Oh, hush." One of the women said, cutting her off. The servant turned to her with a kindly smile as she set a soft floor mat at the base of the tub. "Look at yourself before you tell us that again. You need to rest before the party. Let us worry about this."

When they'd finished, Terra motioned Jacoby into the room to clean up and rest first. Two of the servants vanished out the door to fetch more water, while the third stayed behind to help Terra finish unpacking. The older woman drew Terra's dress out of her pack with a smile, hanging it carefully in the closet. The dress was simple, most likely too simple for a royal function. It was made of a thin satin dyed a silvery lavender that wasn't worth very much at all. But, it was plain. It fell straight to the floor after a bit of shaping at the bust, held up by a pair of thin straps.

"Miss Terra," The handmaiden asked softly. "Don't you have shoes to go with your gown?"

"Oh, yes." Terra said as she reached down beside her bed and picked up her only other pair of shoes she owned, the flat ones she wore every day. "Here they are."

The woman stared at her incredulously; her eyes going from her shoes to Terra's face then to her dress and back again. Then the woman laughed and shook her head, waving her hands at Terra. Terra blushed under the woman's laughter, embarrassed by her simplicity. It was this laughter she feared her son would face, this laughter that she had thought she was so used to.

"Oh, no, no, no. This will never do." The woman said as she took the shoes from Terra and set them down on the bed. Seeing Terra's blush, the old woman sighed and offered the younger woman an apologetic smile. "Oh no, sweetheart. I'm not laughing at you. I'm sorry. I just didn't expect it."

"But, that's all I have." Terra said, her fear that her outfit would be too simple for the king's court suddenly a reality. She felt stupid and small and strangely sad beneath the older woman's steady gaze. "The fabric was so expensive that I…"

"Hush, hush." The servant said as she reached for Terra's hand and gave it a gentle pat. She directed Terra to sit down before coming to sit with her, brushing the shoes aside. "It's alright, I understand. Now, if you trust me, I can take your dress to the matron and we can find something to match it, if you like. I know she would if she knew it was for you."

"But…"

"Oh, no." The woman interrupted. "No buts. I'll have the dress back as soon as I can and I'll find you someone to help you dress for the evening."

"T-thank you." Terra stuttered as she gripped at the woman's hand. "Can you do something else for me as well?"

The woman nodded with a faint smile as Terra rose and went to the closet, drawing Jacoby's suit from within. She brought it to the woman and set it down on the bed for her to see, embarrassed once again by the fraying fabric. The woman snatched up the suit before Terra could say anything and just smiled and said she'd take care of it. Terra explained how special the suit was and the woman's smile softened and told her that everything would be fine. She took the suit and dress and vanished out the door without another word, leaving Terra in shocked silence.

--

**Six years, five hours, three minutes after the death of Kefka Palazzo.**

Terra took a breath as the handmaiden, Rinna, gave another hard tug on the brush in her hair. The woman grumbled something about tangles and ran the brush through the emerald strands once more, freeing up a few of the smaller tangles with this pass. Rinna traded the brush out for a simple comb and ran it through the lock of Terra's hair she was working with before twisting the strands about one of her long curling sticks.

Terra cringed as she peaked up in the mirror over the vanity, growling at the cloth that covered it. Rinna had decided to manipulate her hair into long elegant curls for the evening, an idea she wasn't so sure she liked. But, the woman had ensued her it would be wonderful and Terra was willing to let her try.

The handmaiden cursed and reached for another comb, laying it in a bowl of scalding water resting on the vanity before them. Terra blinked at it nervously as Rinna took another lock of her hair, brushing another knot out of it. Then, taking the now steaming comb, Rinna dragged it through Terra's hair. Terra squawked as the hot drops of water fell on her scalp, scalding her.

"O-ow! Is this necessary?!" She demanded, raising a hand to brush Rinna away as the woman wrapped the lock of hair about another rod.

"Yes, and we're almost done." The handmaiden said with a smile. "Then we can do your face. Marta should be back by then."

"All this, just to see my friends?"

"Well, you're the one who wanted to surprise them." Rinna replied, smirking. "If you want to surprise someone, you have to do it right."

Terra scoffed and gripped the edge of her stool as Rinna started on the last lock of hair, tugging the hot comb through it once more. Gritting her teeth, Terra stared down at the smooth, polished wood of the vanity, her gaze lost in the grain. Why was she doing this? Why was she letting this woman rip her head apart just to see her friends? She could be back in Mobliz, preparing for Jacoby's birthday party and starting on the clothing the children would need for the winter.

Surprise indeed. She'd only said that because she wasn't sure if she even wanted to go to the party, let alone see her friends. It had been two years since she'd seen them all together in one place and she wasn't sure if she could handle all of them talking to her at once. They always asked her the same questions: Was she ok? Did she need anything? How were the children? And a thousand other things, she either couldn't, or wouldn't answer.

"Ah! Marta's here!" Rinna chimed, setting down her comb. "Now you wait here, while I go see."

Terra dropped her face into her hands as Rinna left the small bathing room, allowing the curtain to drift closed behind her. Raising her head, Terra glanced at the covered mirror, annoyed that they'd covered it. As she reached out to tug the drape off the mirror Rinna gasped on the other side of the curtain, the sound followed by a 'wow' from Jacoby. Curious, Terra rose from the stool and went to the curtain, peeking out. But, Rinna had turned back in time to catch her and waved her back to her seat, following her in.

"No, no." She said. "That's our surprise for you. No peeking."

Terra frowned as the handmaiden directed her back to the stool and leaned out through the archway. Drawing back, she carried a large make up case into the room and a small wrapped bundle, setting them down on the vanity before her. Rinna opened the case with a smile and began removing certain items: rouge for the lips, kohl for the eyes, and powder for the face. Terra thought that was plenty, but the handmaiden pulled out several more bottles as well.

"Isn't that a little much?" Terra asked with a cringe once Rinna had finished setting up what Terra would have thought was a full apothecary.

"Not when it comes to the perfect face." Rinna said, turning to her with a smile. The look on Terra's face must truly have been awful for Rinna laughed heartily and rubbed at Terra's cheek. "Now, let's get started. You're a little more on the pale side, so this could take a bit longer."

"Glorious." Was all Terra could manage, her voice dripping with sarcasm as Rinna pressed a puff into the palest powder she had and set in on Terra's face. Rinna worked for what seemed like an hour, cooing and telling Terra that she was 'quite possibly the best model she'd ever worked with.' Terra took a note of pride in that. She struggled to sit still as Rinna had tugged at her eyes with the kohl and tickled her nose with the puff.

"Can I see myself?" She asked as Rinna drew back to view her work.

"No, not yet, sweetheart." Rinna replied as she bent back over the make up case. "I tell you though, it looks wonderful. I just wished you hadn't missed the feast with the king. He'd have died at the sight of you."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sleep so long." Terra sighed. The servants had returned an hour before the feast to prepare the two of them. But, when they'd seen just how tired they were, they let them sleep, and had just recently returned, with a plate of food for them to share. Terra had picked at it, not hungry in the slightest, but Jacoby had made quick work of it.

"It's alright, sweetie." Rinna crooned. "If I'd walked all that way, I'd have overslept too."

"But we didn't walk all the way. We were able to ride with carts most of the way. The hardest part was the walk here from South Figaro." Terra stated as Rinna drifted around behind her, the make up case forgotten for the moment as she began to remove the long rods from Terra's hair, oldest first.

"I'd still be exhausted." Rinna said softly as the pile of rods on the vanity began to grow. "Ah, that's lovely."

Terra watched as she reached into the case, drawing a thick piece of twine from within. Taking up another brush, Rinna began gathering up Terra's vibrant curls and pulling them back into a long drape at the back of her head. Once she was satisfied, Rinna reached for the little bundle on the vanity, carefully unwrapping it. Rinna came to stand before Terra, leaning down as she drew the handkerchief away from the item within.

Terra gasped as a hair clip and comb of fine mother of pearl were revealed. Black enamel had been spread over the top of the piece in a thin latticework, tracing the edges of the delicate piece. Terra curled a hand at her breast as Rinna came around behind her, setting the clip and comb carefully into the emerald strands. She could only imagine how it looked in her hair. It was meant for a princess or a queen, not for a farmer like herself.

"And now for the dress." Rinna said softly. She squeezed Terra's shoulder and moved past the curtain, her shadow darkening the drape as Marta handed her the gown. Both women pushed aside the drape a moment later, one laden with the dress, the other with the under nothings needed.

Marta, the maid from earlier, smiled at Terra as she rose from the stool, curiosity written across her face. Marta motioned for her to ignore the dress for a moment and to slip out of the robe she'd spent the evening in. Terra set the robe aside, her bare skin chilling quickly as Marta helped her into a corset. The maid tied it at a comfortable level, as Terra was so thin to begin with before helping the younger woman into the light crinoline she'd need to support the gown.

Once she was ready, Terra turned to Rinna expectantly, wondering what came next. The handmaiden came to her with a pair of satin heels, a shade darker than her dress and decorated with small glass stones that sparkled in the lamplight. Terra lifted her crinoline enough to step into the shoes; nervous as she was certain her rough feet would ruin them. The women laughed and assured her that the heels would do fine. They were a little snug at first, but they were soon comfortable enough as her weight began to stretch the satin.

"And now for the best part." Marta assured her as Rinna came to them dress in hand. Carefully, they raised the dress over Terra's head, dragging it down carefully. Terra laid her hands across her stomach as Rinna tied her laces, wondering all the while what to expect. Once she was finished, Rinna stepped back and gazed at her, smiling brightly before she turned to drag the drape off the of the mirror.

Terra gasped, her eyes wide as she stared into the mirror. It was impossible. How did this happen? And since when was she so…beautiful?

They had taken the dress down to the seamstresses where they had attached a lattice of black lace across the bust and trailing delicately down one side and across the front in a draping line till it reached the hem. Terra looked to her hip, where a long strip of lavender had been tied into a floppy bow and sewn to the dress so that the tails trailed to the hem. Tears pricked at her eyes as she ran her hands over the lace and gazed at herself steadily. Rinna had been right, the bound curls were wonderful, and the silvery comb shone beautifully against the emerald of her hair.

This wasn't right. They shouldn't be doing this. She was no Cinderella. And she certainly had no desire to be a princess so…why?

"And now, for the final touches." Marta said, grinning, drawing her from her thoughts.

Marta held out a pair of long black satin gloves to Terra, waiting patiently as the surprised woman slipped them on before offering up the purple pearls Locke had bought her for Yule. When she was unsure how to wear them, Rinna took them and folded them into thirds, wrapping them about her neck as a choker and binding them in the back with a ribbon. Marta came around in front of her, carrying the tiny bottle of grave flower perfume she had come to cherish so much. The older woman removed the stopper and pressed her finger to the top, wetting the pad of her finger. Stepping close, she trailed her finger across Terra's pronounced collarbones, leaving the scent in its wake.

"Perfect." Marta said, pressing the stopper back into the bottle and setting it on the vanity. "Just a bit of gloss and she's done."

Terra allowed Rinna to apply a bit of clear gloss to her lips before stepping back, uncertain of what to do. They smiled at her as she looked back into the mirror, eyeing the faint purple shadow at the corners of her eyes above a thin line of kohl. They had done beautifully, but it wouldn't have been so wonderful if it weren't for Marian and Valda. Their plan had succeeded. She had been sick, but not as often as she would have thought, and she had gained at least ten pounds. There was more color in her skin now, and her face had fleshed out just enough to give her a decent appearance. But for Terra, the best thing was that she had some shape back to her figure. It wasn't perfect, but it was much better than it had been in a long time.

"You're ready." Rinna smiled. "And just in time, it's sundown, you need to go."

They ushered Terra out of the bathing room and into the bedroom proper, where Jacoby sat waiting at the edge of his bed. He blinked up at her, caught up in the sight as she stared down at him. He looked wonderful. They had tailored the suit a little more, cutting it in to shape it more to the frame of a young man and had tightened up the seams. They had also given it a good washing, getting out the caked in dust within the fabric. It almost looked new.

His awe faded and a smile curled his lips as he rose from the bed, straightening his shirt and jacket. His face was still slightly red from where it had been scrubbed and his hair had been trimmed and combed thoroughly for the evening. Terra had to admit, her son was extraordinarily handsome; maybe he would do well tonight.

"You look incredible." He said, pressing a kiss into her cheek. She blushed as he stepped back, her heart soaring with the knowledge that he approved. His was the only opinion that had mattered to her since she adopted him, and she basked in the feel of his appreciation.

"You do too, my love." She replied, hugging him. Drawing back, she clasped a hand at her breast and gazed up at him steadily. "Are you ready? It's alright to be nervous. Being introduced at court is always difficult."

"Mother, I'll be fine. I have you." He chuckled, brushing her hands away as she tried to straighten his collar. "We should go, or we'll be late."

Nodding, Terra allowed him to take her arm and lead her to the door, where Marta held it open. The maid ensured Terra that no one was aware of her presence before allowing Terra to hug her and Rinna. They were ushered out into the hall quickly where they hurried down the plush green runner.

The hum of the voices of a hundred people all talking at once filled the air as they rushed down the abandoned hallway towards the great hall. The golden light of the lamps in their sconces on the walls flashed past them as they turned into the hallway leading towards the great hall, the knowledge that they were late ringing in their minds.

They stopped at the end of the line of people waiting to be introduced, blushing beneath the stares of the few remaining nobles. Terra reached up to resettle her curls and straighten her bodice as Jacoby brushed his hair back. They could hear the orchestra as they moved up a place in line, the call of the announcer over the music leaving them shaking with nerves.

Terra gazed steadily into the draped archway, wishing for the world she could see past them, thinking it would calm her. She didn't notice the first contraction of her throat, but the second was stronger and rattled in her chest. She raised a gloved hand to her mouth and turned away from the couple before them, struggling to fend off the minor coughing fit. Jacoby was on her in an instant, pulling a handkerchief from within his jacket and pressing it into her hand. She took it gratefully, covering her mouth with it as she stepped off to the side, stumbling slightly when she stepped on the hem of her gown. Jacoby came to her as the fit passed, his brow furrowed with worry as he set his hands on her shoulders.

"Mother, are you alright?" He asked, keeping a hand on her shoulder as she drew the handkerchief away from her mouth.

"Yes. Yes, I think so." She said weakly, raising the handkerchief to stave off one last cough. It rattled painfully in her chest, leaving her throat aching. She turned to look up at him, allowing him to take back the handkerchief and tuck it away. "Rinna came after me with a powder puff and some of it must have gotten into my lungs."

Jacoby frowned but kept silent. She chuckled when he wrapped his arms about her, holding her close, with a hand on her back. Smiling, she hugged him back, pressing a loving kiss into his pale cheek. He kept his hands on her shoulders as she stepped back, his frown now a faint smile.

" I'm alright, love." She started as quietly as she could, moving up another place in line. "Now, remember your manners. And address him as your majesty. He's not Edgar here; remember. He's the king. He'll be very different in there, so don't worry, it's not something you did. He's still Edgar underneath."

"Mother…Mother stop." Jacoby interrupted, pushing her hands down gently, keeping a grip on them. "I know, trust me, it's ok. Don't worry about me, just focus on looking gorgeous."

Terra nodded dumbly as the couple before them went forward to be introduced. Terra cringed as she glanced behind them. It was worse than she thought; they were the very last guests to arrive, which meant all the attention would be on them. Her heart pounded in her ribs as the announcer came to them inquiring as to their names. Jacoby was kind enough to offer them for her and motioned for the man to go ahead. When they were standing behind him, Jacoby caught up her arm and patted it with a hand, smiling at her as she swallowed hard.

"It's alright, Mother." He said with a smile. "It's just another kind of battle."

At this, she looked to him, surprised by his words. He was right; this was just another kind of fight. A fight to control yourself beneath the gaze of so many judging eyes. She took a deep breath, willing her heart to slow as she closed her eyes for a moment. When her shakes lessened, she opened her eyes once more and nodded to the announcer with a faint smile.

She could do this.

"Presenting, Terra and Jacoby Branford!"

--

Edgar sat stiffly in his throne, nodding and smiling at each noble as they came before him, each bowing as perfectly as the last. They were always the same; same boring colors, same faces, same names, same identical bows and words. He flashed a bright smile at what he thought would be the last couple, praying that the party could truly begin now that everyone was here. These introductions may be tradition, but they were as dull as waiting for an egg to hatch.

At least he'd been able to eat before they had begun, otherwise he would not have agreed to this. Every year he held a private dinner with the Returners, just spending time with them, laughing and talking about their lives. There were times he wished they would talk about what happened so long ago, but there were those that simply refused. Cyan and Celes had both suffered through bouts of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Strago and Relm simply wished to forget. Out of respect for his friends, however, Edgar had never brought up the subject, no matter how much he wished for that level of true closure.

He picked absently at the hem of his rich blue tunic as the last couple strode away, arm in arm. He looked to the Chancellor, waiting for the cue to go ahead and begin the party. The man was standing of to the side, his hands brushing at his golden robe as he whispered back and forth with a page. His expression was one of surprise, which was unusual for the older man. Curious, Edgar leaned forward in his seat, motioning for the Chancellor to come to him. He eyed his signet ring as the man approached, leaning amiably against the arm of the throne.

"We have one more, your highness." He said quickly, his face strained from the tedium of the introductions. "A late arrival."

"That's alright. But, we should hurry, we need to get going before the guests get restless." Edgar replied with a sigh.

The chancellor nodded and motioned to the announcer at the door, directing him to continue. Who could have come so late? Another puffed up noble, most likely.

"Psst! Edgar!" A voice called behind him. Peeking around behind the throne, Edgar was surprised to find Locke poking his head out of the grand draperies covering the wall behind him. The silver haired man offered up a cheeky smile and a goblet of fine wine. "Are we done?"

"Don't get caught up here." Edgar said to his friend with a smirk, gratefully accepting the goblet, and taking a moment to wet his throat. "No, apparently there's one more. A late one."

"Late?" The treasure hunter asked, kneeling down beside the throne as he took a drink from his own cup. "Who?"

"I've no idea." Edgar replied, casting a sidelong glance at his friend as he returned his attention to the archway, waiting. A moment later, the announcer stepped through the arch, his arms straight at his sides and his head held high. Yep; another noble.

"Presenting, Terra and Jacoby Branford!"

Edgar lurched forward in his seat, his heart suddenly in his throat as he struggled to set his goblet down. A hush settled over the crowd below in the hall as they all turned their gaze to the top of the stairs. Sweat broke out across Edgar's suddenly cold skin as the drapery shifted aside allowing the couple to come through. Jacoby came through first, carefully leading his mother by the arm, a broad smile on his handsome face as he guided her down the plush red carpet. Terra answered Jacoby's smile with a dazzling one of her own as they approached.

At the edge of the carpet, Jacoby bent at the waist with a flourish, the one that Edgar had taught him, and then stepped aside to allow his mother to pay her respects. Terra came forward, taking up her skirts as she lowered herself into a curtsy so graceful a professional dancer would have turned green with envy. Her mother of pearl comb flashed prettily at him as she straightened, her gaze lowered demurely. Beside him, Locke tottered, his goblet falling from his hand as he got to his feet, the wine staining the carpet instantly. But, Edgar didn't care. In fact, he sympathized with his friend.

He couldn't believe it. There she was, back in his castle after so long, back where he could look after her, protect her. And, by the Goddess'! She was stunning! That lavender, that shape, that lace! He swore on the name of his mother that he would anoint the woman who dressed her as a saint. And as she raised her eyes to him, he could have melted. Those fathomless eyes of the purest amethyst bored right into him, leaving a hot trail running through his innards as the tiniest fraction of a smile curled her lips.

"Terra. I-I" He stuttered.

"Your majesty," She started, cutting him off, her words ringing clearly in the suddenly silent hall. At that moment, he allowed it as her porcelain voice washed over him in a wave, leaving him reeling in its wake. "It is my pleasure this evening to introduce you and your fine court to my son, Jacoby Delenne Branford."

Terra stepped aside and off the carpet as Jacoby came forward once more, kneeling before Edgar as gracefully as his mother. The boy curled a hand at his chest and bowed his head, keeping his eyes lowered in respect for the king. Edgar almost lost himself in the boy's sheer grace.

"It is an honor, Your Majesty."

Jacoby's words snapped him back into reality and allowed him a moment to sit back in his chair and regain his composure. He leaned back almost casually, keeping a steady gaze on the boy kneeling before him so gracefully. He nodded, a satisfied smile curling his lips. This boy would make a fine man one day.

"We are pleased to make your acquaintance, Sir Jacoby." He began, fighting to keep his gaze off the boy's mother. "You are welcome in the halls of Figaro. Rise and let us see you."

Jacoby rose, the motion fluid as he straightened. He kept his hands at his sides and his feet together as he raised his eyes to Edgar, but did not quite meet his gaze, as was proper. Edgar gazed at him steadily, his face neutral as he looked the boy up and down. It was a bit of a surprise to see Jacoby so dressed up; but he made for a handsome sight. Jacoby held himself much like his mother; his spine straight with pride and his jaw set with a determination Edgar never thought he'd see in anyone other than Terra. It was strange to see these things in him when he was in no way related to Terra. He came away from his thoughts, as the hush became a fog of whispers and inquiries flitting between the nobles at the sudden entrance of the stunning pair

"You are the spitting image of your mother's grace, young Jacoby." He said, playing on his thoughts to break the silence. Jacoby glanced up at him then, his pure green eyes flashing as what must be a thousand different thoughts raced through his mind. "And her intelligence no doubt. Come, join our celebration."

A broad smile split the boy's face as Edgar raised a hand to dismiss them. Jacoby turned to his mother and made for her as Edgar rose from his throne, casting a glance at the still gaping Locke. He approached the edge of the dais, brushing his long green cape out behind him with a flourish. He allowed a lofty smile to curl his lips as he raised his hands to the congregation, drawing their attention without a word.

"Welcome, Friends!" He said, projecting his voice across the grand hall, quieting the crowd. They looked to him expectantly, the sea of faces hopeful. "We are honored that you have joined us for this most precious of celebrations. Each year, we come together as one to remember the shadows of our past and look to the brilliance of the future. Come friends! Let the festivities begin!"

There was cheer as he stepped back from the edge of the dais, the orchestra undermining the gathered voices as they began to play. Locke stumbled down the dais, tripping over his own feet as he came to stand beside Edgar. The king grabbed his friend's shoulder to keep him steady, his knuckles white from the strength of his grip.

"H-holy shit…" Locke stuttered, his blue eyes wide with shock as he looked to Edgar. "What made her come?"

"I don't know, but I'm finding out." Edgar replied flatly as he scanned the crowd for Terra. A familiar flash of emerald caught his attention quickly and he stepped off the dais, Locke in tow, and pressed into the crowd. They found Terra just as a flash of brilliant gold forced its way through the crowd. Celes trod on the hem of her golden gown as she shot towards Terra, arms out wide.

"Oh my Goddess!" Celes cried as she barreled headlong into the half-esper, her arms wrapping about the slighter woman. Terra gasped but caught her friend before she could fall, bracing her legs to keep upright.

"Celes!" Terra cried, a brilliant smile curling her lips as she clung to her friend " Good Goddess! Don't knock me over."

"I'll knock you over if I want!" Celes countered as she pulled away, keeping her hands on Terra's shoulders. She leaned forward and kissed Terra's cheeks, allowing Terra to do the same to her. "You look incredible!"

Terra was laughing as Edgar and Locke pushed through the crowd, the other Returners appearing suddenly as well. She raised a gloved hand and tossed her long fall of emerald curls back over her shoulder before Celes hugged her again. The group pressed in around her, faces bright and mouths full of questions as she stepped back, her hands pressed against her mouth as she smiled, overjoyed to see them all.

"Goddess almighty, woman!" Sabin boomed, a broad smile on his face as he came forward. "You couldn't tell anyone you were coming?"

He came to stand before her, looking her up and down though he didn't reach for her, respecting her dislike of physical contact. She shook her head, sending her fall of luxurious curls cascading down her back her smile dazzling. To everyone's surprise, she closed the distance between them, reaching up to throw her arms about his neck. Sabin blinked in shock for a moment before curling an arm about her tiny waist as lifting her off the ground. Terra laughed again, the sound clear and perfect to Edgar's ears as she kissed Sabin's tanned cheek. He set her back down and stepped aside, motioning for her to move through the Returners. Terra was all hugs and kisses as she met with each one. Cyan knelt before her and took her gloved hand, pressing a kiss against the back of it. She blushed and bent, pressing a kiss to his forehead, passing her blush to the knight.

Relm was on her in an instant, bouncing as she came forward to hug the lavender clad beauty. The teen threw her arms about Terra, her rose gown and olive skin a wonderful compliment to the half-esper's alabaster flesh and lavender dress. Gau followed next, his back straight as he smiled to her, bending to kiss her hand, desperate to show her how much he'd learned and grown under Sabin's patient care. She gasped at the sight of him in his fine black long coat and vest, stepping back to admire the changes. But, her smile broadened when he gave her his signature crooked, fang toothed grin.

Edgar stayed back with Locke and watched as she continued along, properly introducing them to her son. Once she'd visited with all of them, Celes grabbed her arm and cast her sapphire gaze around, peaking through the sea of heads, a frown on her lips. Finally her gaze fell upon them and a broad smile found her mouth. She leaned over to Terra and whispered something before walking her and Jacoby over to them. Locke stiffened beside him and Edgar was quite sure he was rooted to the carpet.

"Hey guys, don't you want to say hello?" Celes asked as she came to stand before them, the glitter in her golden ball gown flashing in the light. She smiled broadly and threw her long delicate braid back over her shoulder as she dragged Terra forward.

"Hello Edgar, Locke." Terra said softly, a faint blush painting her porcelain cheeks.

Edgar started to say something, but his thoughts raced and words died in his throat as he looked down at her, astounded. He'd never once seen Terra so…dressed up. She was a vision, standing there all in lavender and black, her emerald curls pinned back. Her comb flashed at him once more as she lowered herself into another graceful curtsy and he could swear he'd seen it in the treasury long ago. She rose slowly, offering him another of those faint, perfect smiles and his head was suddenly swimming, lost in those fathomless eyes. Above all was the apparent change in her health. Her skin had regained a little of its color since he'd last seen her and there was more to her now than skin and bone. She looked closer to healthy now, and it brought back so much of her beauty that it made him dizzy.

He stuttered out a greeting and bowed, sweeping his cape out with the flourish only a king could give. He took her hand, pressing a kiss to her glove before he straightened. Keeping a grip on her hand, he cast his gaze to Locke who still stood stiffly, his lips parted as he stared openly at Terra. Edgar nudged him with an elbow, successfully bringing his friend back to the real world. Locke shook himself, a broad smile splashing itself across his face as he came forward.

"Doll face!" He said brightly. "Look at you, all dressed up. How much paint did that take?"

Edgar grimaced at Locke's words, a shudder of revulsion running up his spine. How could he talk to her like that? Here she was as beautiful as the dawn and he was cracking jokes at her. He should have been kneeling at her feet and treating her like the proper lady she was. But, strangely enough, Terra grinned and raised an eyebrow at the treasure hunter. She cocked a hip and planted a hand on the graceful curve as she turned to face the man, her mouth open and her tongue curling with mock offense.

"Three new coats and fresh roofing tiles if you must know. We're working on the window frames next." She shot back at him, her amethyst eyes glittering with mirth.

Locke laughed heartily and reached for her, his arms slipping about her tiny waist as he picked her up and spun once. Terra laughed with him as he placed her gently back on the ground and pulled her into a friendly hug, almost knocking her off her feet. She was glowing as he kissed her cheek and released her, gripping her hand as he stepped back to look her up and down.

"Edgar," Locke said suddenly, shaking the king out of his thoughts. "Enough with the proper and come see her."

Terra looked over to him with a smile as Locke stepped back, wrapping an arm about Celes. The couple kissed as Edgar took a hesitant step forward, casting an annoyed glance at Locke, who didn't notice. Terra turned a smile up at him as he approached and slipped her arms about his neck when he got close enough. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard, losing himself in the feel of her as he wrapped his arms about her waist. She was a perfect fit against him, if not a little underweight, and he swore to the heavens that he would marry this woman someday. She was perfection incarnate; a goddess on earth. And as he hugged her, he lost himself in the scent of a familiar flower he couldn't place. Kissing his cheek, she stepped back, her openness to physical contact apparently gone for the evening.

Celes was on her in an instant, kissing her cheek and pulling her close, drawing laughter from the slighter woman. And for a moment, Edgar wished he were female, so that his touch would not make Terra so uncomfortable. Locke laughed as Celes took Terra's hand and tried to dance with her as the orchestra took up a lively tune. There were laughs from the Returners that had gathered to see Terra as the two of them stumbled over each other's feet; a fit of giggles overcoming them.

If only he could be close to her like that. If only she cared. If only she would love him as he loved her…

_If only…_

--

Celes smile flashed brilliantly, dazzling Terra as they stumbled over each other. The blonde's skin was warm and comforting as Celes drew her close, settling Terra's head against her chest. Terra allowed her eyes to close for a moment as they settled to rock back and forth, out of time with the music, out of time with the world.

Opening her eyes, Terra looked out at the gathered group, her heart soaring at the sight of them all gathered together again. But among them all, she couldn't find one of her dearest friends, and it was bothering her. Setzer hadn't appeared when they'd come to greet her and she had to wonder if he hadn't come. They had become close once she rejoined the group after her year in Mobliz, staying close to her as they tromped through a thousand different caves and castles, trying to get back in the hang of fighting after their year of idleness. Setzer seemed to understand everything, much like Leo, able to give her advice no matter the situation.

Celes released her slowly, stepping back and taking her hand, her smile still curling her full lips. Ducking through the gathered Returners, the ex-general led Terra out of the crowd and to the side. Jacoby waved to his mother as they vanished, staying behind as the Returners gathered to congratulate him on his arrival in court. She felt Edgar's eyes on her as she followed her friend, a shudder running up her spine at the hunger in his eyes. She knew all to well what he wanted of her; the real reason he kept coming to Mobliz and trying to get her to move to Figaro. And the answer was no. She'd worked too hard for what little they had in the village and she wasn't going to drop it all now to go play fairytale queen with a man she didn't love.

Terra sighed softly as they reached the far wall, leaning against the cold stone as a mass of the crowd broke off and headed off for the dance floor, the colored lanterns setting a hundred different gowns glittering as the orchestra began a waltz. Raising a gloved hand, she wiped a thin sheen of sweat from her brow, all to glad to be free of the choking crowd. Terra had never been one for parties and crowds, the mass of bodies involved always left her claustrophobic and disoriented.

A smile tugged at her lips as she watched Gau lead a beaming Relm out to the dance floor, his loping step separating him from all the other suited men. She was surprised to find that he danced fairly well, if not a little awkwardly. But, despite the awkwardness of his movements, Relm was glowing, the faint blush of a love struck young woman coloring her fine cheeks.

"Goddess, sometimes there are just too many people here." Celes sighed, brushing her rhinestone dotted braid back over her shoulder. She turned to Terra with an apologetic smile, her face glowing in the light of the colored lanterns. "I'm sorry, love. I meant to get you out of there sooner."

"I'll survive." Terra said with a faint smile. She raised a hand to her pearls, straightening them on her neck before casting a glance about the vast ballroom, searching in vain for a flash of Setzer's silver white hair. "Hey…do you know where Setzer is?"

"Um…yes!" Celes said suddenly after a moment of thought. Terra brightened at her words, an excited smile curling her lips. " He should be at the card tables about now. Come on."

Celes grabbed her hand again. Leading her down the open space between the wall and the crowd. Terra took up her dress in one hand, trying to keep from stepping on the hem as she struggled to keep up with Celes' long stride. They skirted around the hall quickly, the various gathered card tables coming into sight as they neared the far corner. The lamps here were not shaded by colored drapes, their white light setting the taffeta of Celes' gown and the sequins and stones on in her hair and bodice flashing. Heads turned in their direction as Celes lead her between the tables, a golden vision amid the drab suits of the men at the tables, and the soft colors of the few gathered women. Terra blushed as their eyes fell on her, many of them turning the same faint appraising smiles to her.

They headed towards the farthest and largest table, to a game nearing its end. Celes greeted them as she approached the table, a dazzling smile on her lips as they looked to her. Celes bantered back and forth as they skirted around the table to the far end, closest to the wall. A deep hearty laugh caught Terra's attention as Celes led her around the table. Looking up, she caught an all too familiar flash of silvery white as Setzer leaned back from the table, a broad smile on his lips.

"Setzer?" Celes asked, drawing his attention. He looked to them with a raised eyebrow, his gray eyes bright in the light of the lamps. "You have a visitor."

Setzer looked past Celes as she motioned to Terra with a delicate golden-gloved hand. He blinked as he looked her over, as though he were uncertain of who she was for a moment. Then, a broad smile curled his handsome, yet scarred face as he laughed and rose from his chair.

"Ah. It seems that Lady Luck has finally arrived, gentlemen." The men at the table chuckled amiably as Setzer held his arms out to Terra. Smiling, Terra released Celes' hand and went to him, allowing him to hug her as she kissed his cheek. He offered her a lop sided smirk as she beamed up at him. "Look at you, all dressed up. Lucky indeed."

Terra chuckled as he winked at her roguishly. He settled a hand in the small of her back as he turned back to the table, introducing the both of them to the gentlemen at the table. She curtsied as gracefully as should, struggling not to totter in her heels as she rose. Celes leaned over to kiss her cheek and said something about going off to find Locke before vanishing back into the crowd, leaving Terra behind.

"Care to join us, Terra?" Setzer asked, motioning towards the table. With nowhere else to go and no interest in returning to the crowd, she accepted the offer, allowing him to take her hand and help her into her chair.

The gambler turned back to the game at hand, taking up the conversation once more as Terra watched. Terra sat back quietly as the current game came to an end, surprised to find that Setzer had not won. A smile tugged at her lips as he passed a few coins across the table to a grandfatherly old man, sporting a long mustache. The old man smiled kindly at her as he tucked the coins into a purse and passed his cards to the center of the table.

"What do you say?" He said to the men at the table. "Another game? Without coin this time?"

" Ah, a grand idea." Setzer said with a broad grin. He turned to Terra, gray eyes glittering as he winked at her. "Care for a game, Lady Luck? I can teach you."

She nodded despite herself, drawing quiet cheers and chuckles from the gentlemen. The dealer dealt the hand quickly, explaining the rules of that particular table in a clipped but cheery tone. Terra picked up her cards, splaying them out in her fingers as she tried to make sense of them. Setzer guided her patiently through the moves of the game as she watched each of the gentlemen take their successive turns. With his guidance, she quickly had a grip on the game, and was eventually good enough to get by on her own.

Fate had decided to deal her decent hands through the three games she took part in, but not good enough to win. She spent the better part of an hour at the table; surprised by how easy it was for her to enjoy the game. The gentlemen were kindly enough and most of their conversation revolved around the latest news. Having been out of touch with the rest of the world for so long, Terra felt a little foolish for being surprised by things that had happened over a year ago. She tried not to let that get to her though as the games progressed from hand to hand.

Beneath the table, Setzer bumped her leg with his knee, drawing her attention from her hand. She looked to him, wondering if it had been accidental. But when she caught his gaze, he motioned faintly towards the better part of the hall with a tilt of his head. Terra looked past him in confusion, trying to spot what had caught his attention when she found Edgar cutting through the crowd and making for the table.

Terra's shoulders slumped of their own accord, her fear of what he wanted driving a stake through her high spirits. It wasn't that she didn't want to see Edgar; she just didn't want to be alone with him.

She looked to Setzer as the gentlemen rose to greet the king, her brow furrowed. Setzer offered her an apologetic shrug, a frown on his fine, yet scarred face. He reached beneath the table and gently squeezed her bony knee, as Edgar turned to them. Terra set a hand atop Setzer's and mustered a demure smile, turning it to the king. Setzer drew his hand back as Edgar bowed deeply to her. Ever the polite one, Terra rose fluidly and curtsied to her friend, blushing as he took her hand and kissed it. Behind her Setzer just nodded to the royal, rather than rising to bow. Edgar smiled broadly and offered a hand to the gambler, who took it and gave it a hardy shake.

"Glad to see you at the table, your majesty." Setzer said smoothly as he reclined back in his chair, an amiable smile on his face. "Would you care to join us?"

"Oh, no my friend, I'm afraid you'd wipe the floor with me." Edgar said brightly, still gripping Terra's hand. He rubbed the back of her hand with a thumb and cast a glance at her out of the corner of his eye. Terra blushed beneath his gaze, her insides curling into knots. "No, I've just come to see if I could steal this lovely lady away from you."

"That depends on whether or not she allows you to steal her." Setzer replied with a smirk as he crossed his legs beneath the table.

A cool smile found Edgar's lips as he turned to face Terra, stroking her fingers with his thumb. His rich green eyes glimmered at her as he offered her a tiny wink; one that tied plenty more knots within her. She mustered a weak smile and curled a hand at her breast. A moment of deliberation led her to nod faintly. As much as she didn't want to be paraded about on the king's arm, she couldn't deny him her company. And, she and Jacoby would be leaving Figaro within a day, leaving no time for a real visit with her dear friend.

"Yes, I think that would be alright." Terra said softly, blushing as Edgar offered her a heart-stopping smile. Setzer chuckled and shook his head, a smirk on his lips. Terra bid the gentlemen farewell as Setzer waved them off, her heart pounding in her ribs. Her knee burned beneath her crinoline where Setzer had touched her, and she ached for his comfort as she left him behind.

"My Goddess," Edgar started with a chuckle as he put his arm out for her to take. She slipped her arm into his, gripping gently at his bicep and praying that he couldn't feel her hands sweating through her gloves and his sleeve. "I don't think I've ever seen you gamble, Milady."

"Oh, we weren't" Terra found herself chuckling as Edgar led her slowly around the outskirts of the dance floor. She looked down at where her hand wrapped about his arm. This was comfortable. There was no nameless fear at this closeness; no shudder of revulsion. "Though, I must say, I'm confused as to how many games we got through without realizing it."

"That's what happens when you enjoy yourself. I do hope they were polite." He replied; brow furrowed as he turned a dazzling green eye to her.

"Oh, yes. Very." She stated, turning a nervous eye to him. But, his smile calmed her surprise and she allowed him to pat her hand. A faint smile tugged at her lips as they came back around to the far side of the crowd, her eyes caught up in the dancers moving gracefully across the floor.

A hundred brilliant gowns whirled about in glorious flashes as ladies of the noblest nature were swept across the floor by men in the finest suits. The orchestra had taken up a livelier tune and the dancers had sped into a more social dance, laughing as they passed from one partner to another. She spotted Celes and Cyan towards the center of the floor, a usual sight, as Locke couldn't dance to save his life. Celes laughed at some joke as the knight swept her into a graceful curve, the motion sending her golden dress into a flashing display of color.

Terra stopped to watch with a sigh, her hand trailing from Edgar's arm. The king stopped and gazed down at her as she brushed a stray curl back over her shoulder, but Terra was to lost in watching Celes to notice. The song ended and Cyan delicately dipped the blonde over one arm a smile on his chiseled face as Celes raised an arm behind her. They rose together as the crowd cheered the orchestra into another song, and for the briefest of moments, Terra wished she were graceful enough to dance like that. But, Celes had had years of training as a general and Terra had no use for dances anyway.

"Would you like to dance?" Edgar's question seemed to come out of nowhere and she blushed faintly as she looked up at him. He smiled down at her kindly, his green eyes full of an almost uncontrollable desire to be so close to her as to dance. But Terra could only shake her head to the negative, not because of the closeness involved but because of her own clumsiness.

"No." She said softly, her brow furrowing as his face fell, crestfallen. "That would be a disaster. I can barely walk in this dress as is, let alone dance."

"Are you sure? I can help you." Edgar implored, his eyes almost begging her. Terra's heart pounded in her chest as she shook her head once more, a feeling of guilt swirling about in her stomach. The last thing the king of Figaro needed was to be seen on the dance floor with a woman who kept stepping on his feet and couldn't even keep her own beneath her.

"I'm sorry, Edgar." She said sadly. And it was true, she was sorry, for everything. For not coming to live in Figaro and letting him watch over her. For not seeing the doctor he wanted her to. And for not loving him. The other two were just simple refusals, but the last was out of her control. She'd never been able to love anyone romantically, and it confused her. Was it that she just hadn't found the right man yet? Or was it something deeper; more biologic perhaps?

"Perhaps another time then." Edgar said, offering her a tiny, if not saddened smile. "Something to drink instead?"

Terra nodded, conceding him this. His expression brightened as he turned her away from the dance floor and led her towards the lower terrace of the great hall, where a cluster of tables had been set-aside for those wishing to rest. Along one wall a long table had been set with bottles of wine and a buffet of various meats and cheeses. He offered her wine and she politely refused, she made a point of not drinking any alcohol as she looked after so many children. With a knowing smile, he poured her a glass of water from a fine crystal bowl.

The chilled water was heaven in her throat as she took a small sip. It was getting hot in the grand hall despite the massive open windows and the open balconies, and she suspected that it was her own fear of the crowd and Edgar's barely hidden love of her that was making her sweat. He turned to pour himself a glass of fine merlot as Terra cast a glance across the seating area. She was surprised to find Jacoby sitting at a table in the corner surrounded by a good-sized group of people his age. A small swarm of girls had crowded him into a corner, their bright colored gowns a stark contrast against the drab, faded black of his suit. Her shoulders slumped at how obvious the age of his suit was against the splash of color. But, despite all this, there was a broad smile on her son's face at something someone said. A rumble of laughter rose from the table as a young man sitting next to him waggled his eyebrows at Jacoby. To Terra's unending surprise the faintest hint of rose colored Jacoby's pale cheeks as he glanced up at the much taller man.

Fireworks exploded in Terra's breast as a bright smile curled Jacoby's lips at something else the man said. She raised a hand to hide the broad, unladylike smile that found her mouth. A faint laugh escaped her as the girls around Jacoby twittered about something drawing another series of laughs from the two young men. This was wonderful! Ava was going to bounce when Terra told her she'd been right about Jacoby all along.

"Terra?" Edgar asked, confused by her laugh. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, not funny." She said, flashing him her excited smile. "Wonderful. It seems that Jacoby has just discovered boys."

Edgar raised a confused eyebrow, drawing a bubbling laugh from Terra. She took another drink as her heart fluttered in her chest, exploding with joy for her son. He'd never spent an extended period of time around his peers, let alone ones of noble birth. But, he was doing much better than she ever could have expected. It seemed as though his worn clothes and thin face didn't mean anything to the gathered group as they laughed and joked. Terra would have given anything to join them, but she feared the appearance of his too young mother would embarrass her son. Terra's shoulders slumped as she looked away, taking another sip of her water.

"Terra? Is everything alright?" Edgar asked, setting a hand on her elbow as he set his glass back down on the table. He stepped closer to her, the faint smell of his soft cologne tickling her nose, but not unpleasantly.

"Yes." She started, casting a glance back over her shoulder at her smiling son. "Yes, I'm alright."

"Are you sure?" He asked, his brow furrowing as a frown found his lips. He stepped closer, raising his hand from her elbow to her shoulder, his closeness setting her heart pounding. "You know, I've been thinking…

"Yes, it's just, getting a little too hot for me in here. I think I'd better slip out for a moment." Terra cut him off, the words spilling out of her before she could stop them. She stepped back and out of his grip despite his protests. "Can you point me to a balcony?"

"Y-yes, there's a small one just out that door there." He stuttered in confusion as he pointed towards a door just on the far side of the seating area. "Do you want me to go with you?"

"No, no." She said gently, her heart pounding as sweat began to pool beneath her breasts. He was getting to close for comfort and she had to get away from him before she got caught up in the conversation she knew he wanted to have. "I just need a moment to myself."

"But Terra, there's something I wanted to talk to you about." Edgar pressed, as she set her glass down on the table beside her.

"Edgar, I just need a moment." She said suddenly, raising a gloved hand to rub at her temple as she took another step back. She looked up at him, trying to keep her gaze gentle as her heart pounded. "I'll come back, I promise."

With that, she turned and made for the open door before he had the chance to stop her. She just couldn't be in there anymore. It was too much, watching her son grow up before her eyes and being pressed by Edgar from all sides. She was tired enough as it was from the walk through the desert and the excitement of the party was just proving to be a little too much for her. She went through the door quickly, the desert air blessedly cool against her heated skin. Terra raced to the ornate stone railing and leaned forward against it, her gloved hand gripping it tightly.

She tilted her head back as a faint breeze blew over her, drying the sweat that had broken out across her skin. Taking a deep breath she cast her gaze to the sky, admiring the sea of stars that blanketed the desert. A smile tugged at her lips as she leaned back from the railing, her eyes caught up in the silver disc of the moon as it slowly rose over the horizon. That was when she spotted the movement out of the corner of her eye. Curious, she turned to look at the only other person on the balcony, her smile growing when she saw who it was.

--

_This rose is our destiny. hikisakare  
futari no te wa hanarete-itta_

_nemuru toki mo  
anata e no yume idaki nagara  
todoke! sekai no hate made_

_toki ni ai wa tsuyoku  
hito no kokoro wo kizutsuke mo suru keredo Ah  
yume wo atae yuuki no naka ni  
itsumo hikari kagayaki hanatsu  
hitotsu no chikara ni..._

_This rose is our destiny michibikare  
futari wa ima mou ichido deau_

_donna toki mo  
ano yakusoku wasurenaide  
yatto koko made kita yo_

_toki ni ai kedakaku  
hito no kokoro wo tsuranuku you ni motome Ah  
mamoru mono ni mamorareru mono  
itsumo hikari kagayaki hanatsu  
hitotsu no chikara ni..._

_toki ni ai wa tsuyoku  
hito no kokoro wo kizutsuke mo suru keredo Ah  
yume wo atae yuuki no naka ni  
itsumo hikari kagayaite  
ai wa tsuyoku  
hito no kokoro wo ugokashite yuku dakara Ah  
futari de iru kitto sekai wo  
kaeru tame ni soshite subete wa  
hitotsu no chikara ni naru_

_~Toki Ni Ai Wai - Utena_

Locke leaned back against the wall patiently as he watched Cyan lead Celes out to the dance floor, a dazzling smile curling her full lips. She looked back at him in question for a moment, as though she were asking him if her leaving were all right with him.

He offered her a lopsided smirk as he raised a hand in a mild mannered wave. She nodded to him and tossed her braid back over her shoulder as she and Cyan vanished into the crowd.

He sighed, grateful for the moment of peace now that Celes had gone. Ever since she'd come back from wandering with Terra, she'd been going on and on about how wonderful the half-esper looked and how excited she was to see her here. Then she had started in on the look on Edgar's face when Terra had walked into the room and how much she hoped the two of them would finally hit it off.

Locke rolled his eyes and took another drink from his glass. Sure, Celes was the smartest woman he knew, but sometimes she could be so…so…stupid. Could she not see that Terra abhorred the idea of being with Edgar, let alone anyone else? He shook his head and set the empty cup down on the table beside him. It was enough to make him sick. But, he had to wonder about Terra's reasons for coming. This was the last place he'd ever expected to see her again. He had to admit, though, she did look astounding in that dress.

The crowd cheered as the waltz ended and a more folk like tune began. The gathered dancers took up their movements again, the sound of their feet on the wood flooring keeping time with the music. Through a break in the crowd, he spotted Edgar leading the very woman who had claimed his thoughts across the far side of the hall. The king was moving quickly, too quickly for Terra as she stumbled slightly, carefully grabbing up the hem of her gown to keep from tripping once more.

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he shook his head. Edgar would never learn would he? Raising a hand, he brushed a stray lock of his gray hair away from his eyes, cursing when it fell back into place. Once again, Celes had refused to allow him to wear his bandanna, instead dressing him up in a fancy vest, coat and tie. In all the world, there was nothing worse than this fancy get up, but at least the clothes fit this time around. He'd finally gotten rid of his old dress clothes a few months ago, thinking Celes would give in and let him wear whatever he wanted to these parties.

Boy, was he wrong.

He sighed and shrugged uncomfortably in the form-fitting coat, cursing the weight of the fine material. It was too hot in this thing but if he took it off, Celes would kill him. She said he looked too handsome in it for him to cast it off so easily. But damn, he was sweating and the damned fabric wouldn't breathe. To hell with being handsome! He felt like he was dying.

Raising an arm, he swept a thin sheen of sweat from his brow, cursing when it just glistened on the black fabric of his sleeve rather than absorbing into it. Grumbling, he pushed away from the wall and walked quickly towards the far side of the hall, hoping the great open windows would provide him some relief from the heat of the vast chamber. The grand windows vaulted high towards the ceiling, the expensive glass shimmering in the silvery light of countless stars as they winked to life over the sand. A smile tugged at his lips as a cooling breeze drifted in through the open portions of the windows, drying the sweat on his face and cooling his neck. But the press of the crowd behind him was oppressing and the window could provide only so much relief.

Peeking out the window, Locke caught sight of a nearby balcony. He eyed the dance floor for a moment, trying to catch a glimpse of Celes' golden gown, but failed to spot her. Shrugging, he set about trying to find a door leading to the balcony. He found it not far from him, standing open to allow for more airflow. He slipped out quickly, carefully knocking aside the rock that held the door open, allowing it to close behind him.

The air was fresh and perfect as he stepped out onto the open balcony, the heels of his dress shoes clicking against the stone floor. He breathed deeply and made for the railing, reveling in the smell of the still warm sand. With a sigh, he leaned against the balcony and stared out across the ocean of sand. Behind him, the sound of feminine laughter drifted out through the windows, breaking the quiet for the briefest of moments. Grateful for the moment alone, despite the noise of the party, he tilted his head back and allowed his eyes to slip closed. It was much nicer out here, away from the noise and free of the smell of the bodies crushed together, their sweat and perfume choking him.

The sound of hurried footsteps clad in heels startled him enough to make him jump. He whipped around as someone all but ran out of another door and rushed stiffly to the balcony. Locke stepped back, fearing the person would be ill, but they leaned back slowly, the stiffness draining ever so slowly from their body. The cascade of curls that drifted down the figure's back told him the person was female, which peaked his interest. Turning, he took a step towards the woman but froze with the long curls flashed emerald in the rising moonlight.

Terra? What was she doing out here? And what had bothered her enough to send her out here?

He raised an eyebrow, uncertain of whether or not he should approach her when she turned, her amethyst gaze falling directly to him. All the stiffness in her joints washed away as she faced him, her fingers gripping her trailing gown. A smile graced her lips as she curled a hand at her breast and lowered herself into the slightest of curtsies, but she stumbled faintly and had to grip the railing. But, there was still a smile on her lips as she straightened, pausing to right her skirts.

Locke smiled broadly despite himself and lowered himself into as graceful a bow as he could manage, which wasn't very gracefully at all. Terra chuckled as he straightened, struggling to straighten his dress coat as he approached.

"Ok, so neither of us is really cut out for this nobility stuff." He smirked, raising a hand to brush back his hair, cringing when he found it to be damp with sweat. "Let's toss it out the window for now."

Terra nodded, another chuckle escaping her. But as he came closer, he found that despite her laughter, there were lines of strain about her eyes and mouth. Was she ill? Or had someone said something to her? His brow furrowed as he looked down at her, tilting his head to the side with worry. Her pale skin glistened in the moonlight, the thin sheen of sweat quickly cooling in the desert air. She tilted her head to the side as she looked up at him, the small movement sending her long cascade of curls falling over one shoulder.

A faint smile tugged at his lips as he caught her eyes. He couldn't deny how beautiful she looked, standing before him in the silvery light of the rising moon. Her hair glittered prettily in the moonlight, the comb pinning it back a lovely contrast amid the sea of emerald. She smiled gently as he admired her, his eyes lost in the sheer elegance of her porcelain skin.

Terra had put on weight, not much, but enough to give her face and figure a sculpted look. His eyes followed along the delicate curve of her neck to her shoulder, surprised that she would allow someone to put her in a dress that revealed so much of her shoulders. Her time with the children had left her so demure and modest that this was something she would never had gone out in, but he was glad that she had. The dress, a lavender satin of some sort, shaped her figure wonderfully, without being form fitting; a straight drop from just beneath her breasts to the floor, covering her shoes and trailing out behind her delicately. A steady hand had lovingly stitched a curtain of black lace across the bust of the gown and trailed it down and around the front of the gown to the hem, the contrast a lovely compliment to the simplicity of the rest of the gown.

She shifted beneath his gaze, a faint hint of rose coloring her cheeks as she looked up at him. He blushed and shook himself, smiling apologetically. He couldn't help but feel awkward standing before her. He'd been so slack jawed and openly awestruck by her entrance and here he was doing it again, making the poor woman nervous.

"Sorry, doll face." He muttered, looking away for a moment. Terra sighed and pressed curled a hand at her breast once more, her free fingers playing with the folds of the bow at her side. Raising a hand, she pressed a quivering finger to his chin, directing his gaze back to her. He looked down at her, eyes wide as she chewed nervously at her lower lip.

"No, please." She whispered, her voice quavering. "I want you to look at me. When you do, it's not like the others."

"W-what do you mean?" Locke stuttered as she drew her hand back and turned to the side, casting her gaze to the floor as though she were nervous. "Did someone say something?"

"N-no." She replied, wrapping her arms about her thin frame, her black gloves shimmering in the moonlight. "Nothing like that. I just feel like I'm being appraised, or judged. And then Edgar…"

"What did he do?" Locke asked, a little more harshly than he intended. She flinched and stepped back, her eyes wide. Locke cringed, hating himself for frightening her. He took a breath and rubbed at the back of his head, his shoulders slumping. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. What happened with Edgar?"

"He just…just stares at me. Like I'm some sort of…" She said softly, settling after his apology. Her brow furrowed as she fought to find the words, but she didn't have to say them for him to understand.

"Like you're some kind of Goddess." He finished for her. She looked up at him out of the corner of her eyes and nodded gently. Locke sighed and turned to the railing, leaning against it. He understood how much Edgar loved her, how much he'd always loved her; but there were times he wanted to kill the man. Edgar had always been a ladies man, smooth and easy-going, but when it came to Terra, he just fell apart. But, Locke could understand that as well; he was the same when it came to Celes. But at least Celes returned his affection.

"I'm sorry, doll." He said softly, shaking his head. "Wish I could help."

"Even if you could; what would you do?" Terra asked, a faint smirk tugging at her glossed lips as she turned to face him.

Cheers sounded in the hall behind them as the large band of bards that came every year replaced the orchestra. Locke found himself smiling down at her as she turned her gaze towards the window. She raised an eyebrow in curiosity as a gentleman within began to sing a popular folk song, the dancers beginning again. She curled a hand at her breast as she peered in through a window, her other trailing behind her as she moved. Locke fought to keep himself from taking that hand; worried that it would set the nerves the crowd had set on edge would be roused once more.

"Just a bard." Locke started, as he came to stand beside her. "One of Edgar's favorites. He invites a bunch of them to all of his big parties now. The nobles love it."

Terra turned away from the window with a nod as the man continued to sing. She leaned back against the wall and folded her arms across her chest as she listened to the melodic tones of his voice, eyes downcast. She chewed faintly on her lower lip as the music advanced into a crescendo followed by a grand finale that sent the guests cheering.

"I can see why." She said finally, keeping her gaze lowered. "He has a wonderful voice."

"That he does," Locke agreed, stuffing his hands into his small pockets as he looked to her. She seemed so small as she leaned there, her pale skin a stark contrast against the dark stone of the castle wall. "Hey…would you…would you like to dance?"

He felt the fool the moment the words left his mouth. Of course she didn't want to dance. She was already claustrophobic from the press of the crowd she'd just escaped, and, she was just as clumsy as he was when it came to something so complicated as a dance. He mentally berated himself as she looked to him, her amethyst eyes wide at his offer. She blinked a few times and shook her head, just as he'd expected her to, but deep inside him, something saddened. He didn't know why he was so disappointed; he'd known all along she'd refuse. But, that didn't stop him from feeling rejected.

"Are you sure?" He asked, a foolish hope blossoming in his chest. "There's no one here to see. And hey, I'm worse than you are."

Terra laughed outright, the sound clear and hearty in the quickly cooling air. She cast her gaze up to the blanket of stars as her laughter died away, the silvery light casting her in a ghostly glow. With a sigh, she looked to him and nodded ever so slightly, chewing her lower lip once more. Surprise raced through his veins as she pushed herself up from the wall and came to him, rubbing her gloved hands together nervously.

"All right," She said softly. "Just this once. But, how do we do this?"

"Um, well. Why don't we just make it up as we go?" He offered nervously as he raised his hands to her, uncertain of what to do and where to touch her. It wasn't that he hadn't been very close to her before, but he feared his touch would make her anxious again.

She nodded faintly and came closer, one hand curled at her breast and the other gripping her skirt nervously as she looked to him, her eyes full of that spark of nervousness he feared so much. But she released her skirt and reached for his hand, lowering it slowly and wrapping it gently about her thin waist as she swallowed hard. Startled, Locke almost fell on her before he could right himself, but was able to plant his feet and straighten. She didn't look at him as she reached for his free hand, pressing them together comfortably.

"Uh, okay. Um, that's a start." He said, stumbling over his words as she pressed warmly against him, the feel of the satin beneath his hand surprisingly pleasant. "Okay, so. I'll lead, and you follow, I guess. Sound good?"

Terra was silent as she nodded, keeping her head down as though she refused to look at him. She quivered faintly in his grip and he had to wonder if this was such a good idea after all. Sure, she came to him, but he didn't want her to push it too far. She didn't need to have an anxiety attack here at the party.

"Ok, so let's try this first." He took a small step to the side, moving slowly so she could keep up. She did well at first, but she fell behind as he took a step back, her heels slipping slightly on the stone. She stiffened in his grasp as he stopped, and he felt her skin heat up with embarrassment. He loosened his grip on her and made to let go, but she pressed closer, unwilling to give up just yet. So, he took his grip up once more and took a few more steps, feeling rather foolish as he stumbled over his own feet, throwing them both off balance. He blushed fiercely as he fell back against the failing, his hands flying off her as he tried to catch himself. He didn't fall, but Terra did, right across his chest. Horrified, he tried to right her, suddenly miserable when he found her shaking. But to his surprise, her shakes were barely hidden laughs that escaped her when she straightened. Despite himself, Locke began to laugh as well, his embarrassment leaving him with little else to do but join her.

"Ok, ok." Terra said between laughs, her face bright red. "Bad idea. But, at least we tried."

"Yeah…" Locke trailed off, his laughter dying away. Her blush slowly died as she stepped away, curling her hands together at her breast as she cast her amethyst gaze out across the sand. The embarrassment in his chest faded away leaving a sense of failure in its place. He should have known better than to try. But…

"Wait," He said, reaching out to her. She looked to him as he caught her hand, allowing him to draw her back. "Let's try this again, just one more time. But this time, let's try it…with a bit more feeling."

"Feeling?" She asked, her eyes glittering with nervous curiosity as her gloved fingers curled about his hand. "How do you feel dancing?"

"Well, I'm not sure, it just sounded good with I thought of it." He blushed again and released her hand. But, she took hold of it once more, both of her hands folding gently around it as she turned an imploring eye to him.

"No, it is good." She said softly, a kindly smile curling her lips. "Tell me?"

"I-i…" He looked at her as he stuttered, lost in her fathomless gaze for the briefest of moments before he looked away. Words raced rampant in his mind, trying to mesh into a coherent explanation of what'd he'd been thinking. "I imagine it's a lot like magic."

"Magic?" Terra inquired, raising an eyebrow in curiosity, she tilted her head to the side as he tried to look away, lowering his eyes in embarrassment. Goddess, this sounded stupid, even to him. Any moment she'd just smile kindly like she always did when someone was being foolish and excuse herself for some reason, leaving him alone.

"Yeah, you know. Like it's hiding inside you, just beneath your skin, waiting to come out." He muttered quietly, unwilling to look at her. "And when it does come out, it's like you're suddenly so light, like you don't weigh anything for a second. And it's addicting like a good mead or red berries in winter. And all you have to do is reach for it and open the door, letting it out. And it's easy, so much so that you could do it in your sleep. But when you use it, it feels like you're wrapping up in something warm, like a blanket or…"

"Like a lover." Terra said suddenly, finishing his sentence as he trailed off. He looked to her, eyes wide in surprise as she blinked at him, spots of color raising high in her cheeks. The corners of her glossed lips turned up faintly at the edges in a meek smile. "That's lovely Locke. I think I understand what you mean. Maybe if we reach for it, we'll be able to keep our feet and actually do it. But, only if we reach for it."

"Y-yeah." Locke mumbled, blinking at her as she released his hand and turned away, curling her hands together as she thought. He rubbed nervously at the back of his neck as he waited for her to decide. She looked back at him over her shoulder for a moment and something came over her then, a glimmer just beneath her skin. His heartbeat quickened as a sultry smile curled her glossed lips, her eyes sparkling in the moonlight. A shudder raced up his spine as the unseen fog he'd come to associate with Terra's sudden episodes with this strange allure began to fluctuate around him, teasing his senses.

"Yes," She started, turning to face him, her voice rich in the quickly cooling air. "Let's try again. Just once more…with feeling."

Locke quivered as Terra came back to him, extending a hand in offer. He smiled softly and unbuttoned his dress coat, draping it over the railing before he turned back to her, his hateful tie joining it a moment later. With the coat gone, the cool air washed over him, banishing his embarrassment. So what if he made an ass of himself? Alluring or not, this was just Terra; sweet, comfortable, safe Terra. He reached for her, his hands encouraging her forward.

She approached slowly, allowing him to slip an arm about her small waist before she settled her hand on his shoulder and took his free hand. Somewhere within the hall, a woman began to sing an old, but familiar love song, her voice delicate in the crisp air. A hush came over the party as the lovers waltz began, a hundred pairs of eyes turning to the dance floor.

Locke took the first step, leading once more as he dug deep into his psyche, fighting to keep his balance as Terra took a delicate step of her own. She followed as he continued tentatively, smiling broadly when she kept pace, stumbling only slightly as the song's tempo picked up for the chorus. She looked up at him briefly, her eyes sparkling as they caught the light of the moon. His heart pounded against his ribs as he grew bolder, taking up the pace carefully, pulling her closer to help her keep up. He could feel her heart fluttering delicately through her glove as he led her gently across the stone

Taking a breath, he released her waist and spun her out, her lips parting as she balanced surprisingly gracefully on one foot at the farthest point, turning to face him. She gripped at his hand tightly as she spun back to him, pressing her back to his chest. He slipped an arm about her waist once more, smiling as she set her arm atop his, holding it to her as she took his free hand. They started again, like this, just as he'd seen Celes and Cyan do before. It was surprisingly comfortable, not bothersome as he had originally thought it would be every time he saw it.

He pressed his cheek into the top of her head, careful to avoid pressing against the delicate comb in her hair. Spinning her out once more, Locke lost himself as the moonlight caught in her hair, casting the emerald strands in a silvery light. She looked at him intently; her eyes seductive as she blinked slowly before coming back to him, face to face once again. He caught her, a smile on his lips as she pressed her nose into his chest, mouthing the lyrics along with the singer.

Locke was dizzy as Terra pressed against him, closing what little distance there was between them. She slipped her arms about his neck and buried her face in his collar as he wrapped both arms about her waist, certain she could hear his heart racing. They swayed together, lost in the music, lost in time as the singer paused for an instrumental, the strings and percussion of the bards ringing out beautifully in the otherwise silent hall.

He reached up, taking one of her hands from about his neck and squeezed it as he pushed her gently away, smiling as she balanced on one foot once more, one hand out beside her, fingers sculpted into a perfect dancers pose. His face heated as his head swam, his eyes focused on the smooth column of her pale neck, following it as it joined with her collar bone and vanished into the bust of her gown. Catching himself, he kept her at a distance and took a brave step to the side, trying to imitate something he'd seen Edgar and Celes do on the rare occasions the two of them danced. She stepped in the opposite direction, smiling as they switched back and forth, mirroring each other. He had to chuckle as he fumbled through the step, not surprised in the slightest when she moved through it easily.

He drew her back to him as the last stanza of the ballad ended, leaving them with the last repetitions of the chorus. She pressed close again, still mouthing the words breathily as they shifted back and forth, stumbling only slightly when she missed a step. But, then, she did something he never thought her capable of. She tilted her head back, rising on her toes, somehow keeping pace as she pressed her lips into his neck, mouthing the words against the sensitive skin. Light exploded behind his eyes as his heart quickened painfully, fighting for breath as she pressed a chaste kiss to the chilled skin.

Cold sweat broke out across his back as he swallowed hard, praying to the highest goddess that she couldn't feel his body's response through that thin dress. Her eyes were veiled as he pushed her away with a gentle hand, the chorus rising to its final crescendo. She took up her skirt in one hand and spun a last time, the fabric glimmering in the light of a thousand stars, as the song trailed off quietly. As it faded she knelt, folding her legs beneath her as the dress splayed out about her, her gloved hand still gripping his as she lowered her gaze. He caught his breath as a faint smile curled her lips. He'd only seen professional dancers finish like that on an opera stage. It was a ladies last respect to her partner, a bow of submission that had gone out of style ages ago.

"Terra…"

As he whispered her name, something about Terra changed. She straightened suddenly, the alluring glow fading instantly from her form. No, it didn't fade; it shattered, it broke into a thousand pieces like a pane of glass. Blinking, she looked up at him, her eyes wide as though she were confused. Locke's brow furrowed, worry washing through him at the surprise in her eyes. She swallowed hard and slowly pushed herself to her feet, struggling to get her heels beneath her He helped her up as gently as he could, a hand on her shoulder and the other on her elbow. She groaned softly as she gained her feet, pressing a hand to the side of her head as though she were dizzy.

"Terra? You ok?" Locke asked, leaning beside her, one hand out in the event that she stumbled. She cast a glance at him out of the corner of her eyes as she straightened, her face strained as though she suffered a headache.

"Yes, yes." She placated, patting his hand as he squeezed her shoulder. "I just made myself dizzy. I should have known better."

Terra was shaking faintly as she gently brushed his hand from her shoulder. She turned a meek smile to him as she wrapped her arms about herself, fighting off the chill that had begun to grip the air. Worried, he reached for his jacket and offered it to her, crestfallen when she shook her head in refusal.

"No, thank you though." She said gently, waving it off. "I think it's just time for me to go inside. I've been out here long enough as it is."

"Yeah, sure." Locke mumbled as he draped his jacket over his shoulder and tucked his tie into his pocket. He walked with her through the open door she had come through, the warmth of the hall a blessed reprieve from the chill of the desert night. He chuckled at the ironic reversal, drawing a glance from the woman beside him. Once inside, she turned to him, her eyes strangely sad.

"Thank you, Locke." Her voice was soft as she set a delicate hand on her pearls at her neck, fingering them gently. "I had a wonderful time. But, I think I need to retire for the evening."

"Are you sure you're all right?" He asked, a warning flag raising itself in the back of his mind. "I can walk you back if you want."

He reached for her free hand as she clasped the other at her breast, cradling it between his own. A kindly smile curled her lips as she shook her head, her fingers squeezing his gently.

"No, I'll be all right." She said, her smile going lopsided and her cheek dimpling. "Don't worry about me."

Terra went up onto the tips of her toes and kissed his cheek softly, setting his heart beating once more. But, as he reached for her, she turned and walked away, her skirts gathered up in her fingers as she wove through the crowd, tossing a glance at him over her shoulder. He slumped back against the doorframe as she vanished, his head swimming as his mind tried to wrap around what had happened between them.

What was happening to them?

--

Setzer took a generous sip from his mug, savoring the taste of the warm ale as it slid past his tongue. There was no ale better than here in Figaro. The heat had something to do with it; he was sure.

He sighed faintly as he swished the ale around in the wooden mug, watching as the amber liquid rolled about aimlessly within. Certainly, the parties in this castle were truly fantastic; but he was a Jidoor man, and nothing was better than home.

A cry went up from the far corner of the hall as the orchestra stood to bow and trailed out of their seats to the cheers of the patrons. Tilting his head to the side, Setzer watched as a band of bards dressed all in reds and blues took the stages, their well polished instruments gleaming jovially in the light of the high hung lanterns. His interest peaked, he brushed past a group of gossipers and went for the stage, wondering who Edgar had managed to hire this year. A smile found his face as a tall, but aging, bard he recognized took the stage. The man truly was a marvel, and one of his favorites.

That was the one thing he and Edgar shared; their love of this man's voice. They had nothing else. A shaky friendship perhaps, an amiable word passed between them now and again; but, nothing else. Mostly because Setzer respected no man as his king, he was a free man and would respect Edgar as the same. Unfortunately, this meant that Setzer was commonly disrespectful to the man in these situations. But, Setzer could have cared less.

A vibrant laugh sounded behind him as he cut across the dance floor, as quickly as he could, making for the open windows. Casting a glance over his shoulder, Setzer caught sight of the brilliant flash of gold that was Celes. He sneered to himself as her dress caught the light of a particularly gaudy lantern and flashed prettily. Damn woman, she always had to be the center of attention.

Looking away, Setzer stepped away from the dance floor as the bard began to sing, his long, loping step carrying him quickly away from the crowd. The windows hung open before him, allowing a breeze that smelled of hot earth and scorched stone to drift over him. It was pleasant against his heated face, casting away the absurd heat of the hall.

He sighed again and shook his head before draining his mug and setting it aside. That was the biggest problem with these old castles, temperature control. Raising an arm, he wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his wrist, his sleeve soaking it up quickly. Blinking in the gaudy lights, he leaned forward against the window sill, a faint sneer curling his lips as a woman giggled nearby her face red as her young lover nibbled at her neck. Ugh, he hated people, he really did. But then, people generally didn't like him, so all was fair in the end.

The bard kept singing as Setzer leaned out the window at the now silver sands, his eyes catching on a pair hiding away on a nearby balcony. An all too familiar flash of emerald turned his sneer to a smirk. Good, she'd escaped the crowd. He'd left the game table a short time ago, prepared to steal her back from a drooling Edgar if he had to. Damn fool couldn't take a hint.

But, Terra was not alone on the balcony, much to his chagrin. A pair of broad shoulders on a lanky figure, sporting messy gray hair brought his sneer back. What was that mental case doing out there? And why, Goddess, why did she even bother with him? Locke was a bloody dumb ass. The moment Setzer had met the man, there had been a dislike between them; though that was normal for Setzer. Locke had proved to be as stupid as a drunk at a high rolling table when it came to separating pleasure from responsibility. And that damn blonde had only helped it along.

_Bitch…_

How could neither of them see just how head over heels the half-esper had been for Locke. Setzer himself had seen it before he'd even been introduced to her. The look in Terra's eyes when she looked up at Locke, that blessed light fading from her lovely form had been a dead giveaway. But that bloody asshole out their on the deck with her now; he just blew it off like it was nothing. Granted, sometimes a long fall of hair and a generous helping of breasts could do that to you.

He spat out the window, annoyed with his train of thought. There were days he wished none of that shit had ever happened and he'd never met any of these…people. There were so few that he actually…liked. Sabin was a riot of color and could drink like no other. Gau was…fun, yeah that was a good way to say it. And Terra…well. Terra was Terra. Naïve and wide eyed as a school girl. But, she was hellishly patient and had a mean streak a mile wide, if you managed to piss her off.

Terra was…his friend. She'd attached to him somehow after she'd returned to the group after their year of separation. And somehow, he hadn't minded. She wasn't annoying, thankfully, just kind of clingy. But, this had changed after a few weeks and she'd been back on her feet so to speak. But, she'd stayed close and somehow, he'd gotten close to her in return. Thankfully, she was much younger than he was, or he'd have been all over her like grass on dirt. She wouldn't have had a chance.

He chuckled at the thought as a middle-aged woman with a pleasant round face, and a voice like fine china replaced the bard on the stage. The ballad was old, and heinously sappy, but the crowd was overjoyed. He shook his head and looked back to the window in time to watch as Locke and Terra tried to dance, only to fall all over each other. He chuckled, a smirk finding his lips as he shook his head. It wasn't going to work. Terra was too wrapped up in what she thought she was to even try. She had enough grace to be a professional dancer, but had convinced herself she was a clutz. This was just another of the string of damages Celes left behind her throughout the eight years Setzer had known her. Terra had convinced herself that Celes was the picture of perfection and would never be like her.

Psh, Celes was…._ugh…_

Somehow, Locke convinced Terra to try again, and they came together once more, moving slowly through the motions of the waltz. They were poor at first, pitifully so. But then, something changed, and Terra started to dance. The base drum the bards kept pounded in his chest as Locke whirled her about, a stumbling fool next to her picture perfect grace. He smiled, yes, smiled as she spun, her skirts trailing about her as her heels flashed in the moonlight.

The woman-bard's voice rose into a crescendo as the song came to a climax, the notes ringing in his heart. He'd always been a fan of music, especially opera, and this…this was true music. And that, out there on the balcony, that was a dancer. That damn blonde who claimed to sing and dance could learn a thing or two from Terra. Now, Celes could do both, but she was no angel of the stage, like the fine Maria (who was singing again now that her third child was getting older. Goddess, she bred well.)

The song ended and Terra kneeled beautifully, a respect to great for her partner. But, despite his disapproval, he had to smirk. There was something going on out there. Something big. There was bound to be heartbreak in the future, and he just hoped it wouldn't be Terra's that did the breaking. He knew all too well that Locke was the reason Terra didn't love. It had nothing to do with biology and everything to do with that liar out there dancing with her.

"I'll protect you…"He spat quietly.

His ass…

Locke hadn't protected Terra; he'd destroyed her. It wasn't the rejection that had thrown Terra for a loop, it was the lies Locke had told her. The promises he hadn't fulfilled. But then, apparently Celes hadn't been in the picture when the two of them first met, so the whole thing had to have been completely out of anyone's control.

But still…he could dislike the man if he wanted.

And speaking of wanting, was that more of that honey ale making its way out of the back?

--

Terra cut through the tables quickly, her breath short as she made for the table she had last seen Jacoby sitting at. Thankfully, he was still there, talking peaceably with his companions. She swallowed her pride as she approached, tightly gripping her skirts as another wave of dizziness shot through her.

Jacoby spotted her quickly, a broad smile lighting his face as he raised a hand to wave to her. She raised a hand to wave back as he leaned forward across the table, saying something to his young friends that got them all to turn and look to her in curiosity. She blushed under their gaze as she came to the table, feeling rather out of place. Jacoby rose and extended a hand to her, as she came to him. She took it gently and gave it a light squeeze as he turned her to face the table and the seated young men. There were only four of them now, the gaggle of girls having vanished in the time she'd been gone, probably off to wait for the fireworks.

"Gentlemen, I'd like you to meet my mother, Terra." Jacoby said, almost glowing as he gripped her hand. To her surprise, the young men rose to greet her, each nodding in turn, their faces bright. The young man sitting beside Jacoby flashed a brilliant smile to her, his brown eyes bright as he raised a hand to brush his thick red hair out of his face.

"Pleased to meet you ma'am." He said, reaching for her hand. She allowed him to kiss it, surprised at his respect for her, even though she hadn't met him yet. "My name is Bertrand Gunther. And these blokes are Emery, Victor and Morgan."

Each of them nodded to her in turn as they were introduced, smiles brightening their faces. She smiled gently and lowered herself into a mild curtsy, regretting it the moment she rose again. Another finger of dizziness drilled its way into her skull, sending her vision swimming. The gentlemen took their seats once more and Jacoby offered her a seat beside him. But, she shook her head to the negative, the dizziness driving her desire to get back to their room even further. Though the others didn't notice it, Jacoby did, and his brow knit together with worry as he gripped at her elbow.

"Is everything all right?" He asked gently, worry coloring his voice.

"Y-yes," She replied softly, patting at his arm as she turned a meek smile to him. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm going back to the room for the night. I'm much more tired than I thought I was."

"All right, let's go." He said, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"What? No, you stay." She stammered, surprised that he'd try to go with her.

"Nah," Jacoby replied, waving his hand absently at her. "Everyone's running off to watch the fireworks and these guys were talking about hitting the tables for a bit."

"Are you sure? I'm just going to lie down."

"Yeah, I can see the fireworks from the room, and I don't know how to get back to the room anyway." The men at the table nodded in conjunction as they got to their feet, stretching after their long sit. Terra shook her head in defeat, too tired to argue with him.

Smiling, Jacoby waved goodbye to his new friends and offered her his arm. She took it gratefully and allowed him to steer him through the thinning crowd. The hallway was clear as they passed through the double doors, the balconies on the other side of the windows crowded with a hundred muttering people.

Terra blinked down at the balcony as they past, searching in vain for the sight of any of her friends. She looked away as the first of the fireworks shot into the air, exploding in a great fan of brilliant red light. She cringed and raised a hand to the side of her face as the light sent her head pounding ferociously. Jacoby paused in the hall as she groaned weakly, keeping her hand over her eyes as more fireworks went up.

"Mother? What's wrong?"

"Just a headache. I just need to lie down." She bit her lip as she started up again, forcing her suddenly heavy feet to move. Jacoby stumbled after her, as she dragged on his arm, desperate to get away from the flashing lights. The high windows gave way to much smaller ones the closer they got to their room, leaving the brilliance thankfully behind them.

But, something else was wrong. There was another pain underlying the pounding of her head; a deeper pain, internal, and beneath her stomach. The first pain was small, rather like a pinch in her lower stomach. The next was sharper, deeper and unlike anything she'd ever felt before. She gasped faintly and stopped, just down the hall, wrapping her arms about herself as she turned to face the wall.

"Mother!" Jacoby started, stopping dead in his tracks. He set his hands on her shoulders, trying to draw her away from the wall. "Mother, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing," She choked out through gritted teeth. She took a deep breath, willing the pain to subside. "Nothing, I'm just not feeling well. I think I'm just tired."

Terra pushed away from the wall as the pain in her stomach lessened, but her temples throbbed painfully in its place. She gripped at her stomach as she started down the hall again, allowing her son to catch a grip on her arm as sweat broke out across her heated skin. Jacoby was saying something, but a roar slowly began to fill her ears, drowning out his words as her head swam.

His hands were gentle as he slipped an arm about her, holding her close as they stopped at the door to their room. Jacoby fumbled for a moment with the ornate latch, grumbling as it finally opened. The soft light of the lamps within washed over them in a blanket of warmth. Head pounding, she allowed Jacoby to lead her into the warm room and sit her down on her bed. She slumped forward, pressing her elbows onto her knees and resting her face in her hands. Jacoby shuffled about around her, closing the door and dimming the lamps as he shrugged out of his jacket.

"Mother?" He asked gently, setting a hand on her shoulder. "You need to get out of that dress."

Terra nodded briefly, regretting the motion as the back of her neck growled in painful protest. She pushed herself to her feet, keeping her eyes lowered as she made for the bathing room, stumbling faintly when she trod on the hem of her gown. Jacoby came in behind her, offering to help her out of the dress, his eyes glassy with fear. She declined his offer, allowing him to untie her laces before ushering him out, words of comfort on her lips.

She was just tired, she told herself. It was her own fault for not eating after the walk through the desert.

Another wave of dizziness struck her as she pulled the dress over her head. She stood still for a moment and closed her eyes, waiting for it to pass. When it lessened, she gently set the dress down on the stool and started to pull her gloves off. As she began to pull her second glove from her fingers, pain spiked through her brain as though someone had just driven a stake through her skull. She cried out and gripped at her head before she could stop herself. Her gloves fell from her hands as she lurched forward against the counter top, her hands barely catching her. Bottles crashed to the floor and broke as she fell from the counter and onto the floor, her head swimming uncontrollably.

Jacoby burst through the curtain as pain lanced through her lower stomach. She cried out again and bent forward, wrapping her arms about her belly as she pitched forward, knocking her head against the tile floor. She gasped in pain as Jacoby reached for her trying to drag her back from the floor. The second gasp she couldn't control, and the third she didn't exhale. Her eyes widened as she rocked back, her body continuing to inhale against her will. She thrashed as something deep within her seemed to growl, finally releasing the breath as her lungs began to scream.

She lurched forward again as the breath escaped her in a wracking cough. Jacoby was shouting as the coughing continued, the pain in her lungs accompanied by the pounding in her head and the lancing agony in her lower stomach. She gagged dryly as the last cough rocked her frail form, leaving her shaking and sweating coldly. Flecks of blood splashed across the tile before her as she breathed raggedly, her vision drifting in and out as her temples throbbed.

As the pain in her stomach grew to screaming heights, Terra opened her mouth in a silent scream. Then, all of the sudden, the pain stopped, and deep within, something released. And then, Jacoby's shouting became a scream. Terra's vision cleared for a moment and was able to look down at herself as a dark patch of blood began to soak through the front of her crinoline, growing and growing to a size she herself had seen but once before.

_Katrin…_

"Mother! Oh my Goddess, Mother!" Jacoby shouted, grabbing her shoulder. The pain flared up in her head again, sending waves of nausea flooding through her as he tried to pull her back. "Goddess, Mother. I'm getting help!"

"N-no!" She cried, reaching for him, a sudden panic gripping her. No one could see her like this! They'd make her stay! "No, don't!"

But, Jacoby was already gone, stumbling out of the bathing room before the door banged against the wall behind him.

Terra slumped, shuddering sickly as blood continued to coat her thighs. This wasn't right. This shouldn't be happening. Two thoughts fought for dominance in her blurred mind as her vision gave out entirely. One said it had to be a monthly course, just a bad one. The other said that she'd never had courses and that she never would. And as her mind shut down to protect itself, she was reminded of an event she'd thought she had forgotten long ago.

--

_Pain pain pain!_

_Fly!_

_Run!_

_Devil creatures! Not to be trusted! Run run!_

_A little one, screaming. Calling for a thing called mommy. Running running, 'mommy' swung a branch. It hit This One hard. _

_Scream scream! Pain! Fly!_

_Cold wind. It felt good. But This One was dizzy, and couldn't see._

_Glass broke, and This One fell to the floor, twisting around in pain. _

_Old One._

_Old One came as if out of nowhere, a golden glow about his robes. Old One was like This One, gifted with light. Old One was safe. Old One was trust._

_Soft bed. Old One covered This One with blankets and told This One to sleep. _

_This One slept. _

_-_

_Loud sounds in the safe place. Shouting and roars outside and then in. _

_No! NO! _

_Devil creatures! Stay back! Don't come. There were too many. This One panicked. This One jumped from the bed and hit the wall. _

_Pain. Pain and could not fly._

_This One screamed and jumped again, hitting another wall before collapsing. This One cried._

_Devil creature! Stay away! Don't come! _

_Devil creature in blue and silver reached out for This One. This One backed away, raising hands to protect self. Devil creature didn't go away, wouldn't stop making sounds. Awful sounds._

_Go away from This One!_

_This One would bite! Bite bite bite bite bite! Be afraid of This One!_

_This One bit. _

_This One got hold of the devil creature's arm and bit hard. Warm blood washed over This one's tongue as the devil creature stiffened. But there was no shout. No scream. This One clung, teeth still in the devil's flesh, growling._

_The other devils, they shouted and drew metal death from their sides. Angry. And This One growled. This One would kill this devil if they came for this one. This One would do it!_

_But, the devil, turned and was angry with them. The devil said angry things that made them afraid. But then, the devil… It…he…put a hand on This One's shoulder and came around behind, allowing This One to still bite. He settled in behind This One, pressing his front to This One's back. _

_Confusion._

_The devil creature was whispering, hushed things so the others could not hear. Sweet things. This One was afraid, but no longer so much. The devil creature was sweet as he smelled This One's head and kissed This One's face._

_This One let go and swallowed the blood, looking at the arm. This One was sad. This One licked at the wound. This One was sorry, the devil didn't mean harm. This One could help, This One could save. This One had the light. This One put the light into the devil's…Sweet One's… arm. Sweet One relaxed and put his hand in This One's hair, smoothing it down This One's back. _

_Sweet One moved around and This One let him pick This One up. This One pressed an ear to his chest, listening within. Had he a heart? Was he good? _

_He did. A strong heart. A good one. _

_Sweet One kissed This One's head as he turned back to the devils. He said something and the devils put the death away. The devils moved as Sweet One took This One back to the bed. Sweet One set This One down in the bed and pulled the warm blankets over This One._

_Beyond Sweet One, a devil came. Gold and green. Female. The devil female had a stern face, and eyes like cold fire as she looked at This One. And This One smelled fear and…jealousy? Jealous One looked down at This One with awful eyes masked by worry and spoke to Sweet One. Sweet One spoke to Jealous One and smiled sweetly. And This One was jealous too._

_But, Sweet One kissed This One's head as Old One came and spoke things. Sweet One smelled hard and proud, his voice like a hero to This One. This One wanted Sweet One's hand. Sweet One gave it and turned to speak to This One. This One didn't understand, but knew._

_Sweet One would help This One. Sweet One would come back. Sweet One promised…_

_--_

The fireworks flashed overhead, leaving Locke's eyes aching from the cacophony of colors. He sipped from his glass as he gazed skywards, a crooked smile curling his lips as the crowd 'ooed' and 'ahhed' Celes clapped her hands beside him, a broad smile on her porcelain face as a flurry of triumphant greens and golds covered the sky.

"I never get tired of this." She said loudly over the sound of the explosions. She bounced faintly on the balls of her feet as she gripped at his hand as a golden star exploded high above. "Oh wow."

Locke nodded his agreement and sipped at his glass again. Sure, they were pretty, always were, but they got overdone after a while. But then, Edgar loved his people and this was one of the only ways he could show it.

A crowd of girls in front of them squealed with pleasure as countless colors suddenly splashed across the sky in the finale. He smiled broadly as Celes cheered with the crowd, clapping her hands excitedly. Locke nodded in agreement as he finished off his glass, leaving it on a table just inside the door.

Celes was laughing as they went inside, the lights dim to their eyes after the flashes of the fireworks. She squeezed his hand as the Returners filtered in behind them, a thousand words on their lips as the band slipped back in place, ready to begin the real party now that the very young and elderly had left for the evening. Barrels of ale were wheeled into the hall by several strong men and set up on the tables as maids pushing carts full of mugs began to prepare for the festivities to come.

The sight of a tray of chilled meats in the hands of an elder maid drew Locke's attention, his stomach rumbling faintly. The dinner with Edgar had not been small, but the excitement of the party and his dance with Terra must have burned through everything he'd eaten. He set a hand on Celes shoulder and followed the tray to its table just as the band began to play.

He bent and pilfered a bit of cold chicken as the maid set the tray down, offering him an amused smile as she backed away. Locke smiled back and bit into the savory scrap of meat as another maid set a tray of cheeses down. Taking up a few small pieces of cheese, Locke turned away, allowing the maids to continue with their task. He grabbed up a mug and went for the barrel of honey ale. He sipped at it greedily reveling in the taste of the fine honey from the highlands near South Figaro.

It was as he was setting off into the crowd to find Celes and the others that a loud scoff sounded from a small group behind him. Curious, he turned in time to watch a gaggle of older ladies part angrily, allowing a young man to stumble through. Locke chuckled and watched as the young man muttered apologies in a shaky voice. That he must be drunk crossed Locke's mind first and he smirked as he took another swallow of ale.

One of the ladies scolded the young man from behind her fan, an older woman, and she seemed to frighten him. The man stammered another apology and backed away, bumping into the table beside the treasure hunter. Locke reached out to steady the young man, gripping his arm amiably.

"Easy man," Locke said gently, setting his mug aside. "They can't hurt you."

The young man shook in his grasp as he turned a glance to Locke. The glance became a stare and Locke froze. It was Jacoby. The young man's green eyes were wild with fear as he gaped at Locke, his mouth working soundlessly.

"L-locke!" He said suddenly, his voice shaking. "Thank the Goddess I found you!"

Locke stumbled as Jacoby grabbed his shoulders, the thin sheen of sweat that covered his skin shining in the bright lanterns. Somewhere behind them someone laughed jovially, but Locke could only stare into those terrified eyes.

"Jacoby, Goddess man, what's wrong?" Locke set his mug down and shrugged Jacoby's hands from his shoulders, taking note of the weakness in his shakes.

"I-it's mother."

Locke stiffened, his heart clenching in his chest. Terra? What could have happened?

"What is it?" Locke demanded, gripping at Jacoby's upper arms and giving him a good shake to settle him. "What happened to Terra?"

"She…She's collapsed…in the room. There's blood everywhere." Jacoby choked out. "It's all over her underskirts."

"Underskirts?" Locke questioned, his heart beating once more. But, why would Jacoby be so terrified by that? "Jacoby, calm down. Are you sure it's not just her courses?"

"Locke…" Jacoby stared at him as though dumbfounded, his eyes glassy with shock. "Mother doesn't have courses."

--

Locke's heart pounded painfully as he sprinted down the hall after Jacoby, his breath aching in his parched throat. His mind whirled around in circles, his head aching from the possibilities.

"It looks just like when Katrin lost the baby…"

He swallowed hard as they rounded a corner, leading into the guest's quarters. They leaped down a small staircase, Locke nearly falling on his face as his left knee locked up in protest to the jump. He shook it loose and shot off after Jacoby again, praying that their room was close.

This shouldn't have happened. There was no way Terra could be pregnant; the idea of sex left her shivering from the amount of contact involved. That thought left him shaking as they rounded another corner, thankful that there was no one in the halls to see them running. Locke stared down at the green runner beneath his feet, breathing hard. What could have happened? And was it possible that Jacoby was overreacting?

No. Jacoby didn't overreact to anything. He could panic; yes, but drama seemed to be beyond his grasp.

Up ahead, Jacoby skidded to a stop beside an open door. He raced inside, calling for his mother before Locke had even made it to the door. Jacoby kept calling her as Locke stepped into the little room, his voice taking on a higher note of terror. Heart clenching, Locke followed Jacoby's voice past the little curtain and into the bathing room.

And stopped dead.

Locke recoiled, his gorge rising immediately in his chest at the sight before him. Terra was slumped over on the floor, the front of her crinoline sopping with blood. Jacoby knelt and gripped her shoulders, shaking her gently and calling to her by name. Locke swallowed hard and stepped further into the room, broken glass cracking beneath his shoes, and filling the air with the scent of a thousand flowers. He kneeled down beside Jacoby and brushed the young man's hands away from Terra to keep him from shaking her before laying his own badly shaking hands on her dangerously pale shoulders.

"Terra…Terra...Can you hear me?" He asked, his voice cracking with his own rising panic as her head simply lolled about on her neck, her eyes rolling back as she lost consciousness.

"Son of a bitch!" He half shouted as she slumped into him, her breath shaking meekly.

"Oh my Goddess!" Jacoby cried, his fear spiking. "I shouldn't have left her!"

"No, if you hadn't, she wouldn't have a chance." Locke growled at the young man as he gathered Terra into his arms, fighting a gag as a thin trail of blood fell onto his pants. Sick with horror, Locke wheeled about, and tore out of the room, leaning his head atop hers to keep it from bouncing.

"Locke!" Jacoby panted as he caught up quickly, following the treasure hunter down the hall. "Is there a night doctor?"

"Yes, in the infirmary." Locke coughed out as Terra groaned meekly, struggling sickly in his grasp. "It's not far."

--

The infirmary door burst open with a bang as Locke shouldered his way through. The slight woman behind the infirmary desk cried out from the entry and leapt up from her seat. She opened her mouth to scold the man in the door, but her anger died in her throat as she caught sight of the woman in his arms.

"Goddess in heaven. Into the infirmary now!" She ordered, throwing open the door into the small operating room. "Get her on the bed. And for Goddess sake, what happened?"

"We don't know." Locke grunted as he bent and laid Terra in the bed, his bloody hands shaking as he drew away. Jacoby crept into the infirmary behind him, white as a sheet and shaking as Locke looked to him for answers.

"She…We went back to our room after the party. She said she was tired and that she had a headache. But, I've never seen anything like this before. She was sick, shaking and cold and then she went to change and I heard her fall, and then…this." The young man choked out, dropping his gaze to the floor. "And…she…she doesn't have courses."

"No?" The surgeon asked, her eyes inquisitive. She turned away and went to a cabinet in the wall. She unlocked the doors with a small key and began drawing various bottles and objects from within. The flash of metal left Locke shaking as she loaded the items onto a waist high rolling table and wheeled them over to the bed. Taking up a pair of gloves, the surgeon tucked her hands into them and bent over Terra. She took hold of the half-esper's chin and shifted it from side to side, looking for…something.

"Strange." She muttered as she straightened and looked Terra up and down. "Gentlemen, I'm going to have to ask you to step out."

They nodded dumbly and slipped out the door as the surgeon lifted a pair of tough sheers from her worktable and began to cut Terra's underskirts from her still form.

-

An hour passed.

Locke paced back and forth in the small waiting room, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides as he stared silently at the tiled floor. Jacoby sat slumped forward in a small wooden chair, his head in his hands, as his thin body shook with nerves.

For the umpteenth time that night, Locke threw a glance at the infirmary door, willing it to open and the surgeon to bring them news. When it didn't he growled and slumped down into a chair beside Jacoby's and rested his head back against the wall behind him. Casting a glance at the young man, Locke raised a hand and gently set it on his back, fingers shaking as he rubbed it in what he hoped was a comforting way. Jacoby sighed and just shook beneath his fingertips.

With a sigh, Locke closed his eyes, once more willing the door to open. His heart ticked slowly in his chest as the oppressing weight of fear for Terra's life continued to blanket him. It just wasn't fair. How many times would he find Terra's blood on his hands? And how many times would he face losing her?

"Jacoby…" He whispered faintly, needing to break the silence. Jacoby stiffened under his hand and grunted softly to show his attention. "I need to know exactly what happened."

"I-I don't know." Jacoby started, his voice quivering. "She starting coughing before we went in to the party but it passed, so I didn't think much of it. And she seemed fine, but when we left, she was…sick. She was pale and cold. She couldn't handle the light of the fireworks. They made her…hurt. I guess it was a migraine because she suddenly stopped in the hall and couldn't move for a minute. And she was holding her stomach more like she was in pain than sick. But we got back and she went into the other room to change and she screamed. She'd collapsed when I got there. But she…You've seen what Valda calls The Breath. She did that. And then she started coughing, and I couldn't hang on to her, she thrashed so hard. And then...the blood. Everywhere, just like when Katrin…"

Jacoby cut off suddenly and his shakes doubled. Locke straightened and gripped the young man's shoulders. Jacoby sniffed wetly and Locke's heart fell. He could relate to Jacoby, more than the boy knew. Locke had lost his mother to the breast sickness when he was sixteen, and his father at nineteen to kidney failure. Sure, Jacoby had a whole village who loved him, but Terra was his mother, the person closest to him.

"Hey, buck up." Locke whispered softly, worried for the young man. "We'll know soon."

"Soon isn't good enough." Jacoby choked out. "This waiting is killing me. I just want to know. I want to know if I'm going to lose her or not."

"I don't think we will." Locke said, even though he wasn't sure he believed it himself. "She's a tough old witch. She took on Kefka, for Goddess sake."

"Things change, Locke." Jacoby muttered weakly.

Locke was silent as he sat back, keeping a hand on Jacoby's back. As much as he wanted to deny it, the young man was right. Things had changed, more than Locke had been willing to accept. Kefka was gone. The fear was gone. Everything was over, but he wasn't sure if he would ever settle into this everyday, common life the others loved so much. Even after six years, he was still an adventurer and not ready to settle down, and the world had left him behind because of it. Was this a form of PTSD? He'd never shown many symptoms of it after the downfall. Celes had fallen apart after their ordeal. The sudden expulsion from her life as a general had already left her shaken. But, her year-long coma and the battle with a god had all but destroyed her for over a year. But she came back suddenly, almost strangely and was the woman he loved again. But, she still showed signs of the disorder and refused to speak of the battle. There were days where he may as well have had to walk on eggshells around her, careful not to break her sensitive wall and send her into a depression. She was better now, though, but there was still that fear in him. But, he would still give anything to at least talk with someone about what happened.

The infirmary door opened, and the exhausted surgeon slipped out, closing the door behind her. She sighed and leaned against the door as Locke and Jacoby leapt from their chairs, hearts pounding. The surgeon raised her hands to prevent them from speaking as she went to her desk and took a sip from a glass of water before turning to face them.

"She's conscious." The surgeon said first, focusing on Locke. "And doing just fine. Are you her husband?"

Locke thought it over for a moment, the question startling him at first. What would make her think that? He had no ring. But then, he had brought Terra here in her under things, so it made sense. The first word to his lips was no, he was taken, happily. But he stopped himself, if he didn't say yes, the surgeon might not tell him what was wrong with Terra.

"Yes, I'm her husband." He said softly, feeling Jacoby stiffen beside him. The young man stared at him as the surgeon motioned for Locke to follow her out of Jacoby's earshot. She sighed heavily and pinched at her nose, her brow furrowed as she looked up at him.

"What is it?" Locke asked, startled by the look in her eyes. "What's wrong? Is she ok?"

"Yes, yes. She's fine." The surgeon said softly, her head bobbing. "But, I'm confused. That level of hemorrhaging is only found in catastrophic miscarriages. But, she wasn't pregnant."

"So, what happened?"

"I'm not sure." The woman sighed. "As far as I can tell, it was just a massive course flow. But there was so much blood. I checked everything. Her abdomen is fine, no tears that would result in that blood flow. No ovarian cysts no broken tubes, nothing. She's just fine. But…"

"But what?"

"But, she's damaged. Inside."

"Damaged?"

"Yes." The surgeon sighed. "Do you, know very much about her before you met her? How long have you known her?"

"I met her eight years ago."

"Ah, then you might not know." She sighed again. "Even if you do, I'm required to tell you that your wife has severe damage to her cervix. She…um…she was raped repeatedly, several years ago."

The bottom of Locke's stomach dropped out. A shudder of revulsion raced up his spine and a cold sweat suddenly poured down his back. Raped? Sure, it was always a possibility, she'd been a slave to the empire. But it was a slap to the face.

"Did you tell her?"

"Yes."

"Did she know?"

"…no…she didn't."

Locke felt his gorge rise again and fought it down, leaving his stomach shaking. Had he known this would happen, he wouldn't have eaten. He hung his head and stared at the floor, his hands clenched.

It all made sense now; Terra's fears. The slave crown could control her consciousness, but not her sub-consciousness. The rape must have embedded itself into her sub-conscious memory and left her with an unexplained fear of touch, not to mention her inability to love romantically.

"D-did you find anything else? Wrong with her I mean…" He asked, his voice shaking.

"Well…She asked for a full physical. So, we went ahead and…she's too damaged to have children. If you two ever have one it'll be a miracle." The surgeon offered him a sad look, her brow furrowed. "But, everything else is fine. She's just underweight."

"Fine?" Locke asked, startled. " Are you sure? There's nothing wrong with her lungs or anything like that?"

"No, just her interior damage. Why do you ask?" The surgeon eyed him and Locke explained that coughing and the strange chill to Terra's skin; but nothing more. "Ah. Well, her lungs are a little weak, but other than that, nothing's wrong. It sounds like a severe allergy to pollen. As for the cold skin; that's common. Nothing to worry about."

"Oh…all right." Locke muttered, casting his gaze off towards Jacoby, who sat gripping at the hem of his shirt, his face white as a sheet. "C-can I see her?"

"Wait…just hold on a moment." The surgeon said suddenly, grabbing his arm. " Yes, you can see her. But, there's something else you need to know. She…she wasn't pregnant; but her body was set up like it was. There, just wasn't a fetus or anything pertaining to one. But, as far as I'm concerned; your wife just had a miscarriage. The only thing is, there's just the blood, no other symptoms."

Locke crossed the room with a nervous step, his very bones shaking beneath his skin. The knob was cold in his palm as he pushed the door open, his heart pounding. The room was brightly lit inside, torches blazing high in the walls for light and heat. Terra stood quietly at the window, her back to him as he entered. He gazed at her steadily, heartbeat thumping in his ears as he closed the door behind him. For all the world, she seemed peaceful, standing there in just a bed sheet. She clasped the ends of the sheet at her breasts and let it hang loosely down her back, leaving the better part of her back open for view as she had drawn her hair over one shoulder.

"Terra?" He asked, his voice thin and foreign. He stared openly at the pale expanse of her back, scarred by her run in with the plains dragon so many months ago. She remained still for a moment before looking back at him over her shoulder.

Locke froze.

There was nothing in Terra's gaze; no feeling or life of any kind. The feeling of emptiness he'd come to fear suddenly filled the infirmary like a fog, pushing down on him from all sides. His ears rang shrilly as she looked back out the window, her knuckles white as she held the curtain back from the glass. He tried to say something, but his mouth wouldn't work. The emptiness just filled it like water and he almost gagged on it. He wanted to run. To throw open the door and barrel out of the room screaming in terror and begging to have someone go in and destroy that empty…thing.

"She took my clothes…"

Locke blinked, his eyes flying to the back of her head. Her voice had been so meek he almost hadn't heard it. His mouth worked for a moment and he rubbed his hands together nervously.

What the hell was he supposed to say? What does anyone say to someone who just found out they'd been raped?

_Oh sorry Terra, shit happens…_

Oh yeah, that sounded great…

Terra leaned forward and pressed her head against the glass, her shoulders suddenly stiff. She sighed heavily and released the curtain letting it fall to catch of her side. And in that instant, the emptiness was gone, replaced with a crushing sadness that made him miss the emptiness.

"I have nothing to wear back to our room. I can't even find a robe." She said stiffly, as though it were a struggle. "And I need to get to bed. We have to leave first thing in the morning if we want to get home for Jacoby's birthday. And…"

"Terra, stop." Locke ground out, unwilling to listen to her hide from the truth. She was trying to cover over it, like it was nothing; just like she always did. But, it wasn't nothing. It just wasn't. It had ruined her life, and she hadn't even known about it till now. "I-I…"

"It's all right, Locke." She said, not looking at him. The sheet tightened around her as her grip on it tightened. If the circumstances weren't as they were, the image would have been intoxicating. "You don't have to say anything."

"But, I want to." He ground out, feeling tears prick at the corners of his eyes. He rubbed at his face with shaking hands, fighting them back. Damn it! He was not going to cry! He just wasn't! But, he didn't know what to say! Goddess fucking damn it!

"What is there to say?" She asked lightly. "It's so strange. And I…I don't even remember it so, I've no reason to feel poorly. It's…it's all right."

"But, what makes it all right?" He asked, his breath hitching. No damn it! He wasn't going to cry! He hadn't cried since Rachel…

"It's all right because I don't remember it. I can't be upset over something I don't remember. And it was so long ago…it doesn't really matter anymore. And, I already have children…so it's ok that I can't…"

"You can't have…?"

"No," She said gently, shaking her head though her back was still to him. "She said there was too much damage. But that's ok because...I can't lo…"

She stopped and went silent. Terra gripped at her sheet and backed away from the window, allowing the curtains to fall back into place. She tried to say something, stuttered several times in fact, but nothing came out. She raised a hand and ran it through her hair as her breathing sped up, her back hunching and still she tried to speak.

And then everything came crashing down. Terra sobbed once, weakly and collapsed. Locke dove for her without a thought as she lay on her side and curled into a ball, her back still to him. His hands were on her in an instant, trying to uncurl her as she continued to sob. She shook like a leaf beneath his hands, her breath coming in gasps as he forced her out of her ball and sat down, pulling her into his lap. She gripped at his shirt with white knuckles and buried her face into his chest her mouth open in a silent scream as tears poured ceaselessly from her scrunched up eyes.

"Oh Goddess, doll face." He whispered, rocking her back and forth as a few tears leaked through his own resolve. He didn't know what to say. What could he say? It just wasn't fair!

"It-It's not fair!" She whispered harshly, echoing his thoughts. "W-why?"

"I-I don't know." He answered truthfully, his throat screaming from the force of him holding back his own sad rage. She let go of the sheet and threw her arms about his neck, not caring as it fell away from her. Locke gripped at her, slipping his fingers into her tangled hair and rubbing gently at her bare back. "I don't know."

Locke didn't know how much longer she cried; he didn't care. Time bled together as they sat there on the cold stone floor, curled together in what could have been a lover's embrace. She'd buried her face into the crook of his shoulder some time over the past few minutes and had slipped her hand down the collar of his shirt, her chill fingers warming against the skin of his back. She sagged against him, limp with exhaustion as he continued to rub at her back. He buried his face in her shoulder, pressing a kiss into the cold flesh in a pitiful attempt at comfort.

"At least now I know why…" She said so quietly, he wouldn't have heard her if she weren't so close.

"Why what, doll face?"

"Why I don't love Edgar."

Locke stiffened, his hand pausing its movement across her back. He blinked down at her as she shifted, rubbing her nose into the crook of his neck, her breath hot against his skin. He stared past her at the far wall, gently meshing his fingers in her hair.

What could he say to that? It was true after all. But then, even if this hadn't happened to her, would she have loved Edgar? Locke couldn't believe that she would. There was just something about the two of them that just didn't work. Edgar was so…kingly and perfect that it cast Terra in a shadow. She needed someone earthly and reachable. Willing to get down in the dirt with her and do the things that made her happy. Like…like…him?

No, no. That was out of the question. Besides, Terra didn't love. Never had, never would.

"Terra…I…"

"Don't worry about it." She said softly, meshing her fingers in his hair. Reaching back, she dragged the sheet up over her bare shoulders, the loss of her hand on his back leaving him aching. He reached for her hand as the sheet covered them, his fingers probing blindly beneath the fabric. She caught his hand as his fingertips accidentally brushed the delicate skin of her breast. Bending her head, she kissed the backs of his fingers as he gripped at her hand.

"Ok, Terra…I'll try." He whispered, pressing a kiss above her ear.

"Has she told Jacoby?"

"No, I don't think she will." He said, looking down at her as she cradled his hand to her chest. "The only reason she told me is because I told her we're married."

"Married?" She blinked up at him her eyes wide with surprise. A flicker of amusement flashed in the amethyst depths before the corner of her mouth tugged upwards. "I don't remember that happening."

"Yeah, well…" Locke chuckled nervously. He was lucky she wasn't annoyed with him. "Well, you were pretty drunk. I mean…it was funny and all…but…"

Terra shook her head and chuckled sadly, dropping her gaze. She leaned against his chest with an uncertain sigh, her shoulders sagging. Locke frowned and rubbed at her shoulder through the sheet. Nuzzling his chest, Terra wrapped the sheet about her thin form and uncurled herself from his lap. He blinked up at her as she rose in one fluid motion, the high torches casting her in an almost ghostly light.

"I should go. Jacoby needs to get into bed and I should pack up." She said, tucking the sheet together tightly.

"Terra…no…you're not leaving in the morning." Locke cut in as he got to his feet. She looked to him suddenly, her gaze bordering on a glare.

"And why not?"

"Because, you just got here. And you haven't given me one chance to get you drunk yet."

Locke winked at her and she chuckled, albeit a little sadly. His brow furrowed and he slipped an arm about her shoulders, bringing her in for a one-armed hug. She set a hand on his chest and offered him a tiny smile, her eyes glassy.

Normally that comment got her laughing and scolding him for even thinking it, but now…Now she only offered him an empty smile and a broken heart. He leaned in a kissed the top of her head, reflecting briefly on how much he'd been offering kisses to her lately.

"That's the last thing I need." She said, her voice hushed. "A hangover…"

"No, I think it's just what you need." He replied with a lopsided grin. "That and a load of junk food and some good conversation. Let's say about…old times?"

Locke was afraid to come out and say what he really wanted to talk about: Kefka. So, he tested the waters as carefully as he could, by being vague. He'd had enough of this silence, and if he could get Terra to talk about it, maybe, just maybe he could get her mind off this. As it was, it was a miracle she wasn't worse off. But, he supposed that when you didn't remember something that you half expected in the first place, could you really feel that bad?

"I…I'd like that, very much." Terra said, shakily. She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling as another tear escaped her. "But only if…if it's just you and Jacoby."

"I can do that." He muttered gently, a warmth spreading through him at the helplessness in that look. It had been a long time since he'd seen that look, and for a moment, he may as well have been kneeling beside her in the cave so long ago. "I can do that."

--

Edgar strode down the hallway, his hands clasped into tight fists at his sides in an attempt to keep himself from running. He ground his teeth together almost painfully, not from anger but from fear.

Twenty minutes ago, he'd been bidding his guests a goodnight and trying to locate Locke in the crowd. He'd found Celes, who'd been slightly past tipsy, and asked for his whereabouts, but she hadn't known. Finding a servant girl, he'd asked if she'd seen anything. She said that she hadn't but that there was talk that Locke and Jacoby had suddenly run out of the hall more than an hour prior, fear on their faces.

Suddenly nervous, he inquired as to why and the girl had said that it had something to do with the boy's mother. Alarmed, Edgar had demanded to know the location of Terra's room. He cringed when the poor girl jumped in shock and apologized profusely. She'd directed him down the hall they'd run down, stepping aside as he rushed past her. He'd obtained further information from a page in the hall that sent him down this very corridor, desperately seeking out the third door on the left.

What could have happened? Was she all right? Had she collapsed again? What if she had hurt herself?

These and a thousand other fears rocketed around his mind, setting his heart pounding painfully in his chest. He shuddered as an image of Terra strewn across the floor unconscious or worse flitted across his mind.

No! No…it couldn't happen to Terra; sweet, kindly Terra.

_His Terra…_

His breathing sped up as the door came into view. The candle beside the door was still lit, signifying that the guests inside had not yet gone to bed. He found himself jogging the last few feet, fear gripping his chest at the thought of what he might see. But, as he came to the door, a round of raucous laughter filtered out. He raised his hand to knock, but from the sound of things, it wasn't needed. The knob was chill in his shaking hand as he took a breath. Setting his face into what he hoped was an expression of nonchalance; he opened the door.

"…and that brave bastard, he just turns around and unloads a crossbow bolt into the thing's face!" Locke slurred brightly, drawing a peal of laughter out of Terra and another from Jacoby. "And of course, it falls and the look on Edgar's face…Oh Goddess…he'd make you believe in fairy tale princes. It was priceless."

Edgar froze in the doorway, staring in at them. Locke was laying on his back on top of Terra's covers, his hands in the air to emphasize the drama of his story. Terra sat beside him, beneath the blankets but propped up on pillows as she laughed almost uncontrollably into her hand. On the other bed, Jacoby sat with his legs crossed, hunched forward as he chuckled. He gripped an almost empty bottle of some of Figaro's finest wine. There were three more empty bottles set in a line on the floor beside Terra's bed. Between the beds, a tray had been set with all manner of food left over from dinner, most of it cold, but well picked over.

"Edgar!" Terra cried happily, her eyes hazy from alcohol.

"Speak of the hero!" Locke said equally as loud as he sat up quickly, wobbling. He chuckled as Terra put out a hand to right him before turning back to Edgar. "'Sup buddy?"

"What in Goddess' name is going on here?" Edgar asked incredulously. The expression on his face must have been truly something as it sent the three of them into another fit of laughter.

"Story time!" Jacoby piped from his place on the bed before draining the wine bottle of its last gulp. " Get in here! Locke just told us the greatest story about you!"

"Did he now?" Edgar asked as he looked to Locke with a raised eyebrow. He stepped cautiously into the room and closed the door behind him, slightly unnerved by the situation. "And what one would that be?"

"The one where you shot the Ursus on Mt. Zozo in the face." Terra said with a giggle, her words slurring. She leaned forward on the bed and over the blankets, pushing them away. She laid out on her stomach and raised her feet behind her, kicking them back and forth softly as she rested her cheek in her hand, looking at him. "You know, the one that snuck up on Cyan?"

Edgar blushed and nodded. He'd never seen Terra even take a drink of alcohol let alone this close to drunk. And why did she have to lay herself out like that? Did she not realize how close her nightshirt was to revealing her bottom? Or how deliciously soft her legs looked when she kicked them like that. Edgar shook himself and swallowed, struggling to turn his attention to the conversation.

"Oh, yes. I remember that. I remember having to skin the poor creature. That was a fiasco." He smiled faintly as they broke into another fit of laughter.

Good Goddess! How could Locke touch Terra's calf so amiably? Granted, he was just rubbing it gently; but damn him!

"You going to stand there all night?" Locke slurred, offering up a lopsided grin. He dropped back onto the bed and reached down beside him, taking up another of the small wine bottles ad waving it at him. "We've got more!"

"Oo! Gimme!" Terra cried and pushed herself up, hand outstretched for the bottle.

"Nope!" Locke laughed, holding the bottle out over the floor and out of her reach. "You have to come get it!"

Terra growled and turned towards Locke, knocking the blankets aside as she planted a hand on her friend's ribs and reached for the bottle. Locke laughed and stretched his am out, desperate to keep it away from him. Jacoby slumped back on his bed with a grin and grabbed at a bit of cold chicken from the tray as his mother whined and scrabbled at Locke's wrist.

"Haha! No! You can have it when you come up with another story!" He laughed, planting a forearm on Terra's chest and pushing her back.

"Awh!" Terra whined, still reaching for the bottle. She sat back on her heels with a huff and crossed her arms, a pout on her perfect lips. "But you tell the best ones."

Edgar coughed, uncomfortable with the sight before him. Terra turned her gaze to him and he could have melted right there. Alcohol was good to her. There were faint spots of color high in her cheeks, taking away the ghostly paleness and accentuating the pure amethyst of her gaze. She chewed her lip as she watched him expectantly; but he'd forgotten what to say.

"Are you going to come in or not?" She asked, a faint smile tugging at her lips. Her eyes were inviting and calming despite the glassiness left by the wine.

He found himself walking further into the room slowly, blushing beneath their warm smiles as he sat on the edge of Jacoby's bed, uncertain of what to do. Locke passed the unopened bottle to Terra and motioned for her to pass it over. Jacoby took it and presented it to Edgar pouting when the king refused.

"Hey, come on." The boy hiccupped, his normally pale cheeks red. "If I'm drinking, so are you."

"Me too!" Terra chimed with a giggle as she slumped back on her pillows beside Locke and snatched at a piece of cheese, biting into it with relish.

Edgar frowned as he looked at the bottle, absolutely mortified at the thought of Terra seeing him tipsy, as he was sure to get. But, he took the bottle, looking at it carefully as he turned it over in his hands. Well, at least they had good taste. It was Figaro's finest plum wine, no doubt brought up from the wine cellar just for this little gathering. Taking a breath, he popped the cork with a bottle opener offered by Jacoby, to a cheer from Locke. He allowed it to breathe a moment then looked about him for a glass.

"None here, your highness." Locke said, sitting up enough to rest his head on Terra's stomach. "We're doing this the old fashioned way."

Terra nodded her agreement and smiled at Edgar as he raised the bottle to his lips and took a swig. The smoothness of the wine was heaven in his throat after his earlier fears. He found himself smiling as he handed the bottle to Jacoby, watching as the boy took a sip. The thought that the boy was much to young to drink hovered at the back of his mind as the bottle was passed to Terra, who offered it to Locke first.

"So…" Terra started, propping an elbow up on a raised knee as Locke sat up beside her. "Newcomer chooses the story."

"Story?" He asked, blushing faintly beneath her grin as the bottle was passed to her. She took a swing from the bottle, smiling at the flavor. He couldn't think of anything, but as he opened his mouth to say so, Terra turned those rich amethyst eyes to him again, and he knew.

"I remember fighting Kefka's battalion in the Narshe snowfields." He started, turning a smirk to Locke as his friend sat up. Jacoby passed Edgar the bottle again and he took another drink before looking to the other bed again. "It was so cold, I remember Sabin complaining that his nose had frozen shut. And there was nothing but black ice under the snow and none of us could keep our footing."

"Oh yeah!" Terra piped up, folding her legs beside her as she sat up in the bed, her eyes bright. "And you and I walked onto a patch and slipped down into a snow bank. Awh, my rear hurts just thinking about it!"

And she was laughing and rubbing at her back as Locke dropped his face into his hand, his shoulders shaking with mirth. Jacoby's own chuckles were infectious and Edgar was laughing too, despite how embarrassed he was at how lame a story he chose.

"And then, we get there right?" Terra started again. "And, oh my Goddess, when we finally made it up to the snow plain they came out of nowhere. There had to be fifty of them! And we're all kinds of tired right?" She was laughing as she turned her attention to Jacoby, who leaned forward like a rapt child. "And then, of course, Kefka walks out like he's some kind of king and I'm looking at him thinking 'this guy wears more make up than a tavern dancer' and he just throws his soldiers at us."

"Oh, Goddess!" Locke laughed. "The look on Bannon's face was priceless. And all I could think was that this had happened to us so many times before that it felt like nothing new. And at that point, I'd slipped and slid so many times, I was more pissed than scared."

"I think I lost my cloak in that fight." Edgar said whimsically, pausing a moment to try and remember. "Yeah! I did. I threw it at that rider…thing. It spooked his mount and it panicked, remember?"

"Yeah!" Locke said suddenly, his eyes brightening. " You were so pissed at that point, you just chucked it at the thing's face and it charged the wall. _Smash!"_

Another fit of laughter and another swig of wine. Now, Edgar wasn't a lightweight when it came to alcohol, but it must have been the company and the fading stress of his fear, for soon enough, his magnificent cape and coat were in a heap on the floor and he was laughing like an idiot, his golden hair down and hanging in his face.

"…and this psycho here, she runs out from behind me, screaming like a banshee and just socks him in the jaw. _Pow!_ Like some kind of super hero. And he goes down screaming 'My face! You little bitch!' Oh Goddess, I just about died laughing." Edgar finished, miming the actions he recounted.

Terra collapsed into a fit of giggles, forgetting about the bit of bread in her hand as she gripped at her sides. Locke slumped forward on the bed, his face in his hands as he laughed along with Edgar and Jacoby, their voices much louder than Edgar would have cared for had he not been so close to drunk.

"And, of course, he runs out of there like the little chicken shit that he was at that point, screaming something like '_revenge!'_ And at that point, we were all just so out of it, I barely remember walking back to the inn." Locke cut in, a broad, goofy grin on his pink face.

"Hey, do you guys remember the slam dancers in Zozo?" Terra chimed in, her lips curled into a lopsided grin.

"Oh, Goddess." Edgar said, dropping his forehead into his hand. "Hoist those skirts a little higher, can ya girls?"

"And what was with the little suspenders as a top thing?" Locke questioned, dropping onto his back and motioning at the air to emphasize his point. "Not hot, in the slightest."

"I remember having mirrors thrown at me." Terra giggled. "I don't even remember why they hated us so much."

"Couldn't get us, that's why!" Locke laughed raucously, sitting up to waggle his eyebrows at Edgar.

Edgar lay back beside Jacoby and laughed, smiling as the boy shook beside him with silent laughter. Their laughter died away a moment later to a comfortable silence as Locke set another empty bottle down on the floor beside the others. Edgar sat up as Terra reached onto the tray and peeled a bit of cold goose from the bone and nibbled at it, a faint trace of a smile on her face.

Locke sighed and poked her in the hip, pointing at the tray. She dragged another bit of meat from the bone and offered I to him and he leaned forward so she could drop it into his mouth with a giggle. Edgar blinked at them, his face heating with jealousy as Locke leaned back again and shut his eyes.

What was going on here? Why were they almost…cuddly? Several months ago, it had been a fight to get Locke to go see her, and now they seemed almost like lovers lying on that bed. Edgar's brow furrowed as he cast his gaze to the ground in thought. Should Celes be worried about this? Did she even know? Was something even going on between them? Should he tell Celes? He just didn't know.

Looking at them, he didn't see any chemistry passing between Terra and Locke, but that didn't mean anything. But the fact that Terra had no care for romance tugged at the back of his mind, and soothed him slightly. Terra and Locke had always been good friends, even after Locke had fallen so hard for Celes. He could see how close they were the moment they'd first stepped into the throne room to greet him.

No, he shouldn't be worried. There was no need. It had just been so long since he'd seen them together, that he'd just forgotten, that was all. But the thought of Locke running out of the hall without telling anyone, especially when Terra was apparently at risk was something he couldn't ignore. Perhaps he'd talk to Locke about it later? He didn't know.

"So…what happened?" He asked quietly, looking across to Terra and Locke. Beside him Jacoby stiffened and the feeling of drunkenness faded for the briefest of moments.

"I got sick." Terra said gently, looking to him, her eyes calm. "I left because I was getting a headache. But, it turned into a migraine and when the fireworks started, I got sick."

"And I didn't know where the doctor was." Jacoby said softly. "I only remembered how to get to the party and Locke was the first person I saw."

"Yeah, once we got her there, the doctor gave her an infusion and she settled down quickly." Locke said nonchalantly as though it had been nothing in the first place. "That's why we came back here to eat. The wine…well, I don't quite remember how that happened."

"Ah…well, as long as everything's ok." Edgar said, though doubt floated around in his chest.

"Does anyone know what time it is?" Jacoby piped up beside him, looking out the window. The sounds of the party had faded into silence long ago, and Edgar hoped the servants had made it to bed by now. The lot of them were given the day after the party off, so he hoped they'd spend the day recovering as they took part in the festivities when they had a chance.

"Oh heavens," Terra sighed, looking up at the little clock hung high in the side wall. "It's after two."

"Goddess." Locke said suddenly, pushing himself up from the bed and putting out a hand to steady himself. "Celes is going to kill me."

"No, I don't think so." Edgar stated, hoping to calm Locke's nerves. "So was pretty tipsy when I left. She's bound to be all but unconscious right now."

"Yeah, but still. I should go." He said quietly, looking down at Terra. "Why don't you stay here tomorrow, just to make sure you're going to be okay? I don't want you to get another migraine out in the middle of nowhere."

"I don't know…" Terra replied, trailing off. "We need to get home."

"Mother, it's ok. The boat will still be there when we're ready to leave. And from there, maybe we'll have enough to rent a chocobo. In fact, I know we will." Jacoby said softly, a smile on his fine face.

"Terra, it's no trouble for you to stay at least one more day." Edgar said, praying for her to agree. "I know everyone would love to catch up with you."

_I would love to catch up with you…no…to keep you…_

"Oh, all right." Terra conceded, picking at the blankets beneath her. "We can stay. But only another day, then we have to leave. We need to work on the houses before the winds come."

"Yay." Locke said with a smile, reaching out to rub at her shoulder. She smiled up at him with tried eyes and allowed him to rub at her cheek with a thumb. "Celes will be stoked."

"And so will everyone else." Edgar said softly, fighting down a note of jealousy as it rose in his chest.

"Come on you," Locke said, coming around the bed, struggling not to wobble as he came to Edgar's side. "We should get out of here and let them sleep."

Edgar nodded and they bid Terra and Jacoby goodnight. They left the room quietly, blowing out the candle beside the door before heading down the hall. The king was grateful for the secret passages littered throughout the castle walls as they walked, each of them laughing about something or other as they climbed the stairs.

He walked his friend back to his room before bidding him a goodnight and setting off for his own chambers. The chill desert hair was lovely against his heated skin as he struck out across the courtyard and took the small staircase leading up to his private wing of the castle. And as he dropped into bed, his mind turned to the woman he'd left behind in her rooms.

Something was definitely wrong with her, and he was certain that what they'd told him was only half of the truth. But, he'd find out the other half soon enough, as he planned to have a meeting with the rest of the Returners once Terra and Jacoby left. It was time to get her out of Mobliz, whether she liked it or not.

--

End chapter. Please review. It's only polite. I can take dislike. It's ok. Just expect a response.


	7. Einon

**Author's note:** This chapter is more of a filler. It sets up the next one big time so a lot happens. Hang on to something, it's going to be a ride. The one thing I really like about this chapter is that it introduces my favortie character in the whole story: Einon. (Pronounced eye-nun)

**Warnings:** Use of adult language.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own final fantasy VI.

* * *

The Moments Between Us

**Moment Seven:**

Einon

**Six years, two days, twenty-three hours, forty-one minutes after the death of Kefka Palazzo.**

Locke frowned as he gazed down at the table top, wondering what kind of tree could produce such an interesting grain. He slumped forward, pressing his hands between his knees as Edgar took a seat at the head of the great conference table, muttering greetings as the others shifted about. A note of confusion hung in the air over their heads as the Returners mumbled to each other, curious as to the reason for their gathering. Locke looked down the table at Edgar as the king settled himself into his chair, brushing his bound hair over his shoulder.

What was going on here? Locke and Celes had been packing up to leave last night when Edgar had come to their door, asking them to wait another day before leaving. He'd told them about this meeting, requesting their presence, but had refused to explain what it was about. Worried that something had happened, they'd agreed to stay, figuring that one more day wouldn't hurt anything. Their neighbors were watching after Anya, so they really had nothing to worry about.

"All right everyone, let's get started." Edgar began, offering a smile as a maidservant set out cups and saucers for each of the Returners, filling them with a fragrant tea.

"What is this about, Edgar?" Celes asked, shifting in her chair as she looked down the long table at the king. She leaned forward against the table, crossing her legs as she folded her hands on the well-polished surface, her sapphire eyes bright. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes, something is very wrong, Celes." Edgar said gently, propping his elbows up on the table and pressing his fingers into a steeple before him. He gazed steadily down the table, his eyes moving thoughtfully from face to face. "And I think we all know what it is."

Locke straightened in his chair and stared down the table at Edgar, startled. Around him, the others shifted uncomfortably in their chairs, their sudden understanding setting them on edge. Celes dropped her gaze to the table for a moment, chewing at her lower lip and her fingers fiddled nervously with each other. Locke dropped his gaze as Celes reached for his hand, her fingers cold as they wrapped about his. His shoulders slumped as she turned her eyes to him, her brow knit together.

He should have expected this. He should have known Edgar would harp on the subject of Terra's health again. Sighing, Locke squeezed his lover's hand and looked back down the table at their nervous companions. Cyan sat stiffly beside Edgar, stress writing deep lines in the man's face and annoyance flickering in his eyes. The dark haired swordsman turned his gaze to the young king, his mouth a thin line. He was quiet for a moment, his eyes thoughtful.

"Edgar," He started, drawing the king's attention. "Not this again. Enough is enough. Leave her alone."

Locke blinked across the table at the knight, surprised that he would say anything to the negative on the subject. Cyan had, after all, been one of the first to suggest that Terra see a doctor. So, why the sudden disagreement?

"We can't, Cyan." Sabin said from his place beside his brother, an apologetic frown on his lips. "Not now that she ended up in the infirmary."

"Oh please." Locke scoffed incredulously. He sat up in his chair, his brow furrowed as he gazed down the table at Sabin. "She had a migraine. It happens. She's fine."

"Yes, Locke." Edgar said gently, drawing his attention. "She's fine now. But, she doesn't have a history of migraines."

"So?" Locke snorted. "You don't have to have a history of them to have one at random. For Goddess' sake Edgar, she didn't get a chance to relax after she and Jacoby arrived. And she was in such a rush that she didn't eat. I'd get one too if I were in her shoes."

"Exactly, Locke. She won't eat." Sabin reclined in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest as he fixed Locke with a heated stare.

"That's not true." Locke countered, glancing at Celes when she squeezed his hand tightly. "It's not…"

"Settle down…" Strago interrupted, waving a hand across the table. The old man frowned, trailing his fingers along his mustache in thought as he leaned back. "There's no reason to get upset with each other. Now, will someone explain to me what is going on?"

"Terra's illness has been getting steadily worse Strago." Edgar stated with a sigh as he looked down the table at the older man. "She was ill the night of the party. Enough so for Locke to take her to the infirmary."

"It was nothing serious." Locke muttered, his voice going hard with annoyance.

"It is serious, Locke." Edgar almost growled, his eyes fierce as he leaned over the table. "She's sick. She needs help."

"Sick?" Locke ground out, throwing a glare at his friend. "Edgar, she's fine. Didn't you see the weight she's gained? She's getting better."

"No Locke." Celes cut in, shaking her head gently as she gripped at his hand. "She's not fine. There was nothing healthy about her. A little weight didn't take the gray out of her skin or the weakness out of her eyes. It didn't stop her from being too cold to touch or put some strength in her. She felt so fragile when I held her, Locke. She's not getting better, she's getting worse."

"Are you kidding me?" Locke countered, releasing her hand. He shifted in his chair, suddenly uncomfortable. It was a struggle fighting for this. Above anyone else at the table, he knew the severity of Terra's situation. But they needed to stop trying to look after her. It wasn't any of their business. She wasn't little kid.

He ground his teeth together, fighting to push away the image of Terra's blood soaked underskirts from his mind. The surgeon had said that the only explanation was that it was a course flow. But she'd also said that it looked like a miscarriage. What was he to believe? For all he knew, Terra really was dying, and there was nothing any of them could do about it.

"I see her more than any of you." He grumbled brushing away Celes hand as she reached for him again. She dropped her gaze to the table, her eyes hurt. Locke didn't care; he had bigger things than Celes' feelings to worry about. "If there's anyone in this room that knows what's really going on, it's me."

"Oh yes?" Edgar asked, folding his hands on the table. "And what **is** going on, Locke?"

Locke stiffened suddenly, startled by the ferocity of Edgar's gaze and the unspoken words and questions floating about the room. He didn't think…? No, that was ridiculous. Locke didn't have any romantic feelings for Terra. How could Edgar think that? The man knew that Locke loved Celes. Or was it that Edgar was just jealous of Locke's close contact with Terra?

"There isn't anything going on, Edgar." He rumbled, annoyed not only by the conversation anymore, but by Edgar's unspoken accusation now as well. "I'm telling you, she's fine. She spends her days doing everything she normally does. She's out in the fields, doing laundry and teaching the kids. She hasn't slowed down at all."

"I'm not talking about how much she does in a day, Locke." Edgar stated flatly, as though Locke were some sort of fool. "I'm talking about the coughing and the weight loss. For heaven's sake, Locke, she looks like she has the sickness."

"Terra does not have the sickness!" Celes said suddenly, her voice shrill a she sat forward in her chair. She turned a heated glare down the table at Edgar, her face severe in her denial. "She can't! She's too young."

"Celes, the sickness doesn't have an age limit. It can come at anytime." Cyan explained calmly. His brow furrowed as he looked at her, his mouth set into a frown. "And for no reason."

"I know that." She replied, her voice returning to a calmer tone as her shoulders slumped. "But, she's not that sick. Not yet at least."

"Enough." Edgar interjected, his voice stiff. The group settled and returned their attention to the king, who sighed and took a sip of his tea. Locke sniffed at the reddish liquid as he lifted his cup from its saucer. He took a cautious sip, feeling ridiculous as he took a sip from the dainty little cup. He'd always felt goofy at the king's table, constantly afraid he'd break something. But this…this was just absurd.

Setting the cup back in its saucer, Locke slumped back in his chair again, crossing his arms over his chest. He was pouting like a child and he could have cared less. He was too angry with Edgar for calling another one of these meetings to care what the others thought of him at the moment. Frowning, he ignored the annoyed glance that Celes threw him and stared down at the wood grain again, a hot coal smoldering uncomfortably in his stomach.

"Now, Let's honestly talk about this." Edgar said with a sigh, rubbing at his temples. "We need to do something. I can't just sit by and watch anymore. If anything, she needs a doctor. One that can spare the time to watch her for a few days, just to get a diagnosis."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Setzer asked, speaking up for the first time. He sat at the far end of the group, his booted feet propped up on a second chair as he reclined lazily, his head resting against one propped up fist. Edgar wrinkled his nose at the scarred man, eyeing his scuffed boots on the fine upholstery before looking away.

"I propose that we bring Terra back here for a few days. If she won't stay here, I can set her up with a place in South Figaro for her and Jacoby. I can assign one of my doctors to her and if the prognosis is bad, then I'll have to find a way to keep her here indefinitely." Edgar answered, his eyes focused on the tabletop before him, his shoulders stiff as the room went suddenly silent.

Locke stared down the table at Edgar, his jaw slack with shock. He was proposing this again? How could he? And, why were a good number of them starting to nod in agreement? He looked to Celes, who nodded faintly despite the frown that claimed her full lips. How could she agree to this? Was she insane? Terra had a right to her freedom, damn it!

"Something tells me that you don't have the right." Setzer said, his voice nonchalant as it cut through the silence like a hot knife.

"What do you mean?" Edgar asked, his eyes wide with honest confusion.

"You know exactly what I mean." The gambler replied, his ghostly eyes fixed on the king as though they were judging him. "You don't have the right to make that decision for her."

Locke stared at Setzer, his heart pounding in his chest as the gambler glanced briefly at him before returning his eyes to Edgar. Locke blinked and sat up in his chair, his hands worrying at each other in his lap. A thousand thoughts roiled about in his brain as he gazed down at the table top, his brow furrowed. He'd never expected the gambler to be on his side in this matter. Setzer and Terra had always been so close that Locke would have guessed he'd be right beside Edgar in all this nonsense.

"Setzer, someone has to. She's not doing anything about it, and I'm not ready to watch her die." Edgar sighed, dropping his face into his hands for a moment.

"How do you know she's dying?" Setzer countered, his voice still remarkably calm as he gazed at the king. Locke was surprised to find the faintest smirk of rebellion tugging at the gambler's mouth. "What can possibly have happened to make you think that?"

The fact that she bled all over me…

"Can't you see the weight loss? The refusal to eat? We're lucky she hasn't gone anorexic yet!" Sabin interrupted before his brother could answer, his voice raised with anger.

"Yes, I see it." Setzer stated, toying with a lock of his silvery hair. "But that doesn't denote a death sentence. Honestly, you're all overreacting. Terra's smart enough to know when something is seriously wrong. If it were, she'd have come to us by now. It's not in her personality to hide something so severe. She's secretive and ridiculously stubborn, but she's not stupid."

"How do you know?" Celes fired at him, anger coloring her words. "She's hidden things from us before. Like Jacoby, it took her forever to finally tell us she'd adopted him."

"I know because I know her." The gambler replied, sitting up and removing his heavy boots from the chair. He leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees and twined his fingers together as he gazed at her fixedly. "If you don't, that's your problem. But, don't expect the few of us who know she's fine to go along with your idiotic plan."

"Excuse me?" Celes questioned, offended by Setzer's response. Anger darkened her normally brilliant eyes as she leaned across the conference table; her mouth open to fire a response back at the gambler when Locke decided that he'd had enough. He refused to sit and watch an argument unfold when he was already upset enough.

"No, Celes. He's right." He said suddenly, crossing his arms and keeping his gaze lowered as she whipped around to stare at him. "This is stupid. No, beyond stupid. Terra doesn't deserve to be treated like a little kid. She can handle her own problems and doesn't need anyone to follow her around and make her decisions for her. Besides, those children need her. Without her, the village would fall apart."

"All right," Edgar cut in, his jaw set stiffly with anger as he turned a heated glare at Locke. "So we bring them all here. It won't be hard."

"What?" Locke hissed, the hot coal in his stomach suddenly erupting into flame. He pushed himself up from his chair ignoring Celes' hands on his side as she tried to calm him.

How could Edgar even think of pulling the kids out of Mobliz? And what would everyone else do? Marian would leave, he knew that much. She swore she's never live in a city again, not after what had happened to her and her children. Valda and Canaan would come, but not for long. They weren't city people either and would probably set out for the country again. Katrin and Duane would never leave the village; that was set in stone. Without them, Terra would fall apart.

"How can you even think of doing something so…so cruel?" Locke rumbled angrily. He gripped the edge of the table as he leaned towards Edgar grateful for the distance and wood between them, otherwise he'd have decked the king right then and there. "Do you have any idea what that would do to her? You'd destroy her! I swear to you, Edgar. If Terra ever leaves that village against her will, it will be over my dead body."

The fire in his stomach roared as Edgar's eyes narrowed dangerously, anger writing itself across his face. The king opened his mouth to say something, but Locke turned and, brushing his chair aside, stormed out of the room, ignoring Celes' cries for him to come back as the door slammed behind him. Clenching his fists at his sides, Locke strode down the hall, allowing his long stride to carry him wherever it pleased; he was too pissed off to care.

What in goddess name was wrong with them? Who were they and where had they taken his friends? Could they not see that she needed to be right where she was? The surgeon had said that nothing was wrong with her, but he knew it wasn't true. But, at the same time, he knew that taking her out of Mobliz would make whatever was wrong with her worse. Edgar thought she was dying. What if it was true? And if it were true, wouldn't she want to die in Mobliz, with her children? He knew for certain that when he passed, he wanted to be at home, with Celes by his side. Why would Terra be any different? Besides, she was the only one among them who had the guts to take up the responsibility of raising all those children. If they suddenly stripped her of that responsibility, she'd crumble. She'd never been able to handle not being in control. Even when he'd first met her and was taking her here to Figaro, she refused to let him help her with anything accept gathering food.

Locke growled low in his throat, fed up with the entire situation. He'd had enough of this nonsense. At the back of his mind, he knew that Edgar was going to do something anyway, whether Locke liked it or not. Well, he said over his dead body and he meant it. Terra was going to be surprised to see him, but hopefully she'd be happy to see him. He'd never known her to be against any manner of visit from her friends, so he didn't think there'd be much of a problem. But, he wasn't looking forward to explaining his reasons for being there. The sick truth of it was that he was running off to her to tell on their friends. It was stupid and childish, but she had to know. There was nothing worse than having a friend's betrayal dropped on your doorstep unannounced.

"Stop right there."

Locke paused in the hall, startled by the voice. Looking up, found himself in the east hall, the door to the stable yard just ahead. The sounds of the chocobo in the stables drifted in through the open windows, their hoots and calls echoing off of the stone walls of the yard loudly.

"Your bird isn't there, Cole. You'll have to find another way out."

Looking about, he spotted Setzer leaning against the far wall, his long silvery hair shining in the sunlight streaming in through the windows. A smirk tugged at the gambler's lips as he eyed Locke, his arms crossed over his chest and one foot braced against the wall for support. Locke blinked at him, surprised to find the airship pilot here, let alone speaking to him. He was quite aware of Setzer's dislike for him, and as a result, had not exchanged much in the way of a conversation with him over the years.

"What do you want?" Locke asked, his voice much harsher than he would have liked. He winced and turned away with a sigh, annoyed with himself now. But, Setzer just continued to smirk, those ghostly gray eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Nothing dramatic, thief." The gambler replied nonchalantly as he pushed himself up from the wall. He came forward, his hands tucked into the deep pockets of his fine long coat as he continued to smirk. "I save the drama for the theatre. I am going with you however."

"With me?" Locke asked, confused. "How do you know where I'm going?"

"It's rather obvious, Cole. The look on your face says everything." Setzer took a breath and brushed his fingers back through his hair. "You're off to Mobliz. You're off to be with Terra because you can't stand to be here."

"Well, why shouldn't I go? This whole thing feels like mutiny." Locke muttered angrily, casting his gaze to the ground.

"It is." Setzer agreed, his smirk growing. "That's exactly what it is. They're betraying her."

"Okay, so…why are you going with me?"

"How else are you going to get there? You rode a carriage here, remember?" The gambler replied, his eyes twinkling as he fixed Locke with an amused stare. "Now, get your things. I leave in ten minutes with or without you."

--

Locke lay on his back, watching the great gasbag of the Falcon drift about lazily in the air currents. He breathed deep, allowing his eyes to close as he sagged against the wooden planks of the deck. The early morning air was chill in his lungs, dragging with it the smell of oil and the faint tang of salt from the sea far below.

They'd be there soon, Setzer had told him barely an hour before. But up here, time didn't mean a thing. Up here was peace and comfort, with nothing but the air above and beneath you. Locke shifted, laying an arm out across the deck and bending one of his knees. It was strange, he thought, that he could be over a thousand feet in the air and feel fine, but at sea he was useless. Oh well, just one of those strange mysteries of life.

A smile curled his lips as the rigging creaked overhead, the sound deep as it echoed through the great bag. Setzer hummed faintly from his place at the pilot console, a song that Locke was certain he'd heard before, but the name escaped him. It poked at his mind, teasing at his memory with delicate fingers. Where had he heard it? He was certain that he'd heard it recently, and that there were words to go with that tune, but he couldn't remember them. What was it? Hmm…he'd have to think about it.

"Wake up." Setzer called to him from across the creaking deck. "We just passed Anthem."

Locke groaned and sat up, opening his eyes once he'd straightened. He blinked hard as he got to his feet, the brilliant morning sun leaving ghost images dancing behind his eyelids. Anthem already? Well, he couldn't say whether he was surprised or not. A storm had forced them to stop in Nikeah for the night, but they'd left well enough before dawn to arrive in time for a late breakfast.

Stretching, he made for the railing, shielding his eyes as the sun winked at him. There were few drawbacks to air travel, but the biggest one was the sun at sunrise and sunset. There was almost no escape from it. With a sigh, he looked out over the passing landscape so many thousand feet below them. He could already see the brown splash of Mobliz in the distance, the sight bringing a faint smile to his lips. He gripped the railing as the airship banked to the left and slowly began its descent.

"I'm going to land about half a mile out from the village so go ahead and grab your things." Setzer said calmly, keeping his back to Locke as he continued to steer. But, Locke couldn't blame him, landing this big balloon could get difficult very quickly.

"I'll grab it on our way out, I didn't unpack." Locke replied as he pushed away from the railing. The deck boards creaked softly beneath his heavy boots as he came to stand beside the gambler, casting his gaze over the nose of the ship at the approaching village.

"How much longer?"

"About a minute." Setzer answered with an easy shrug. He blinked at Locke out of the corner of his eye, a faint smirk curling his lips.

Locke reached past the helm and unhooked two of the leather straps attached to the navigation hub and slipped one about his wrist, handing the other to Setzer. The man thanked him and did the same before taking up the steering levers once more and bringing them about to land on a flat plane not far outside of the village. The Falcon shuddered around them as it briefly hovered before setting down on its great bracing struts, the wood groaning beneath the weight of the ship. Setzer smirked as the engines died, the propellers slowing lazily as the power was cut off. He unhooked his arm from the strap and raised the locking bar, bracing it across the steering levers, and pinning them to keep the rudders stable. He brushed his hands against each other before turning away and making for the stairs below deck, motioning for Locke to follow.

The treasure hunter rubbed at the back of his head with a yawn and followed the gambler down the stairs, pausing on the way out to pick up his pack. It was warm in the stair hall as they made their way to the door in the bottom of the airship's hull. Setzer reached for the door bracing, his hands gripping it as he paused. Locke raised an eyebrow as the gambler turned a ghostly eye back over his shoulder to him, his expression calculating. Turning back, he unhooked the bracing and set it aside, unlocking the door.

"So," He began smoothly, leaving the door before him shut. "When are you going to tell me what really happened to Terra the night of the party?"

"What do you mean?" Locke asked, surprised by the gamblers words. Had he lied that badly? Oh crap; if Setzer knew, then did everyone else know too?

"You know exactly what I mean." Setzer replied with a shrug, brushing his hair over his shoulder as he turned to face Locke. "Don't worry, I think I'm the only one who noticed."

"I'm sorry, Setzer." Locke said, rubbing at his shoulder as he cast his gaze to the floor, feeling rather like a child caught filching sweet cakes. "It's kind of personal. It's not my place to say anything about it and I refuse to break her trust."

"Look, Cole." Setzer grumbled, raising an eyebrow in annoyance. "Either you tell me, or Terra does. One way or another, I'll find out."

"Yes, and then what?" Locke growled, a spark of anger flashing through him. "You'll run off and tell the others?"

Setzer blinked at him a moment, his expression one of surprise. Then his cheek twitched with amusement and he gave a hearty laugh, bracing an arm across his chest. Locke blushed and looked at the floorboards again, a coal of anger smoldering in his suddenly empty stomach. Was he wrong for refusing? Terra had a right to her secrecy, especially with something so personal as being dragged off to the infirmary for bleeding from her womb. What was he supposed to do?

Setzer stopped laughing after a moment and turned an amused smirk to the treasure hunter.

"Why would I do that?" He asked, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "I've no reason nor desire to force Terra out of her home. But, I am her friend, a close one; and I have the right to know if she's dying or not. Like I said, either she tells me, or you do."

"Setzer, it's not something I have the right to talk about." Locke said, fixing the gambler with a somber glance. "Ask her."

Setzer nodded as though he approved of Locke's decision and turned to open the door. Golden sunlight poured into the hallway immediately, momentarily blinding the two of them as they tromped down the folding steps. They paused on the plain to allow Setzer to lock up before setting off towards the village. It was less than five minutes walk thanks to Setzer's fine landing skills and Locke was grateful to him as they day was heating quickly. The children were already out for the day, their shouts and laughter echoing off the house fronts as they got ready to set off for the vegetable garden. He could hear Valda calling to the kids as they came up the little path into the square, trying to get them ready to go and failing.

"Hey everyone line up." He called over their raised voices once he was close enough to be heard. Startled, the kids whipped around, faces brightening once they saw him. They called his name as he broke away from Setzer and jogged up the path, grinning. He bent and grabbed at the many pairs of small hands that greeted him, nodding and waving to the older kids once he'd finished.

"Didn't expect to see you for a while." Valda said with a grin as she reached up to hug him, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Oh, you know me." Locke replied with a chuckle. "I couldn't stay away. But look, I brought a friend."

He smiled as he motioned towards Setzer who smirked and waved. Valda cocked a hip with a grin and nodded to the gambler scolding him for being late. Confused, Locke inquired as to what she meant. Setzer cut in and explained that he came twice a year, once in winter for Yule and once in the summer for the children's group birthday. Locke smiled and nodded, willing to accept that. He had to admit though, he was a little surprised that the pilot would take the time to come here. Setzer was normally so aloof that Locke had trouble imagining him sitting amid a group of excited children, especially on a holiday.

"I'm glad you came when you did." Valda said, turning back to Locke. "We need to repair the houses before the first frost or winter is going to be awful. Is there any way you can help?"

"Of course," Locke shrugged with a lopsided grin. "I've got time."

"I can stay as well. I've no prior engagements." Setzer offered with his trademark smirk, drawing a grin from Valda. "It'll go faster this way."

"Thank you." The woman said gratefully, her green eyes shining. "I have to get these kids going or they're going to drive me crazy. Terra's still here with Bishop but everyone else has gone to the fields already. They'll be back before lunch if you just want to relax a bit. I'll let them know you're here."

"Be wary though." She said after a moment, pausing mid step. "We have a new addition. And he's…well…you'll see."

Locke didn't get a chance to ask her what she meant by 'new arrival' before she turned back to the children and led them down the path to the vegetable garden. He looked to Setzer who simply shrugged before looking up the hill at Terra's little cottage. Sunlight glinted off the windowpanes as they made their way up the hill, the sight sending butterflies dancing about in Locke's stomach. What exactly was he supposed to say to her? He had to tell her what the others wanted to do regarding her illness, but how would he say it? And worse, how would she respond? He highly doubted that she'd get very upset, but it would still disappoint her. And for a moment, he wasn't sure he could tell her.

Shaking his head, he made for the open door of the house, a smile tugging at his lips as he spotted a flash of emerald through one of the windows. As he bent to tug his boots off before entering the house, the feeling of eyes on him stopped him. Looking up, he found himself staring into a pair of copper brown eyes gazing at him from around the side of the house. It was a boy, no older than thirteen, his thin face set into an expression of judgmental curiosity. The boy blinked at him, his mouth set into a thin line of borderline anger as though Locke's very presence were an affront to humanity.

"What the...?" Locke questioned, surprised by the boy's appearance. Setzer stiffened beside him as the boy's eyes turned a steely glare to the gambler. Locke opened his mouth to talk to the boy, but the kid turned suddenly and went behind the house, a sneer on his lips.

"What in Goddess' name was that about?" Locke asked, looking to Setzer in confusion. The tall man shrugged and made to follow the boy.

"Don't." Came Terra's voice as she appeared in the doorway. "Let him go. It's no use."

"Who is he?" Setzer asked, still eyeing the corner of the house, one eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"We call him Einon. But past that, we know absolutely nothing. Marian found him in Anthem a day ago and brought him home. She said he was chased away from a vegetable cart and paid him two gold to help her bring the supplies home. Keeping him here is no issue, but he won't eat with the family and won't bathe. He won't even talk and he slept on Katrin's porch. He's not dangerous though." She explained, coming out in her bare feet, Bishop cuddled into a basket hanging on her back.

"Good Goddess, I thought my face was going to melt off with the way he looked at me." Setzer said, coming forward, his arms held out to Terra. He smirked as she slipped into his grasp, allowing him to hang onto her for a moment. "Does he talk at all?"

"He's said a few things, but he's rather…um…well rude." She replied, pressing a finger into her cheek in thought.

"Rude, huh?" Locke asked, slipping an arm over her shoulders, mindful of Bishop as he pressed a kiss to her temple. "Sounds like he needs a good whipping."

Terra chuckled, and rubbed amiably at his side before stepping away and motioning them into the house. They kicked off their boots at the door and stepped into the cool house, grateful to be out of the hot sun. Locke set his pack on the sofa as Setzer slipped out of his heavy coat and hung it on a hook beside the door, abiding to another of Terra's rules. Locke debated writing them out for her someday, just to hang in the kitchen. But then, he'd never been good with a pen. He'd have to look into it.

"So, not that I'm unhappy to see you guys, but what's going on? Is everything all right?" Terra asked as she sat back down at the large loom in the corner of the living room, tucking her long red skirt beneath her.

"Well, it's hard to explain." Locke began, his heart skipping about in his chest. What would she say? What would she do? Oh Goddess, he hated tattle tales but, what could he do?

"That's why we're going to talk about it later." Setzer cut in, glancing pointedly at Locke while Terra wasn't looking. "Once Jacoby comes home, maybe after dinner?"

"All right. As long as it isn't pressing." Terra said with a faint sigh as she bent forward to thread cotton through the loom. The great wooden machine clanked and clattered almost happily as she worked the pedals and bracing, the fabric coming together before their eyes. Bishop burbled happily in his basket, shifting his head about as he turned a wide brown eye to Locke.

"You might have trouble with him though." Terra continued, a broad smiling curling her lips as she looked up of a moment, her amethyst eyes twinkling. "He got a letter from a gentleman friend this morning and is currently up in the clouds."

"Huh?" Locke stuttered, confused. Gentleman friend? Had he missed something?

"Oh yes, I forgot to tell you." Terra chuckled. "Jacoby has a crush back in Figaro. His name is Bertrand. He's a nice boy actually, we had lunch with him and his family while we were there."

"That's interesting." Setzer said, his voice intrigued but somewhat uncertain. "I never would have pegged him for a lover. He always seemed more of a fighter."

"It surprised me too." Terra said, turning a pointed glance to them. The look in her eye hit Locke like a brick to the face. It was a warning; if they said one thing to the negative they were out of her house, probably for good. "But Ava went absolutely batty when she found out. For the past year she's been saying he was, but no one thought anything of it. She's absolutely beside herself."

"I can imagine." Locke said, a faint smile tugging his lips. Jacoby's romantic preference was okay, it really was. But the world was so judgmental that he feared for the young man. Oh well, that's what fists were for. "Can't wait to see what happens next."

"Probably broken hearts and bloody noses." Setzer said with a smirk, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned against the sofa.

"Most likely." Terra laughed, the sound pleasant in the cool air. " Isn't that always how it goes?"

Bishop burbled again, his eye still on Locke, the intelligence in the brown depths sending a shudder up his spine. Bishop was only a month old; there was no way he could remember Locke let alone be thinking coherently about him. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, uncertain of what to do as the baby looked away from him and the basket shifted. Terra chuckled and paused to straighten the basket on her back, listening to the infant burble within.

"Somebody's certainly full of bluster today." She said offhandedly. "Locke could you take him for a moment? I'm almost done."

Locke found himself blushing faintly as Setzer turned a raised eyebrow to him. It was no secret among the Returners that Locke was refusing to have kids, and not wanting much to do with them at all, so he could only imagine what Setzer was thinking. But, he wasn't about to tell Terra no, especially when she had work to do. Sighing, he came forward and reached into the basket, drawing the bundled up baby from within. As Bishop settled into his grasp, Locke felt a strange weight shift about within him, not a relaxing shift, just a feeling of satisfaction. He smiled kindly as Bishop closed his eyes and whimpered, absently blowing saliva bubbles out of the corner of his mouth.

"Geeze, somebody got heavy." He said with a laugh, making a face down at the little boy. The baby didn't respond but Terra laughed gently as the loom began to clatter again. Setzer actually chuckled as he came to stand beside Locke, looking down at the little bundle with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay, he's disgustingly cute." He said, the corner of his mouth turning up. "And I don't use that word. Katrin's?"

"Mhm, Bishop Michael." Terra smiled, not taking her eyes from her work. "One month old and he already takes after her. He's got a set of lungs that could kill."

"Does he breath fire yet?" Setzer teased, a smirk curling his lips. He turned a thoughtful eye back to the baby, rubbing at his chin as he studied the tiny face. "Or perhaps he bleeds acid."

Terra laughed again as she finished, drawing the now complete fabric away from the wooden contraption. She folded it carefully and set it on the edge of the sofa for later measuring and eventual cutting before slipping the basket from her shoulders and setting it aside. Bustling past them, she made for the door, bracing her hands against the frame as she leaned out into the sunlight. She cast her gaze about for a moment, her shoulders slumping when she didn't find what she sought. She came back in with a sigh, her hands working against each other in frustration.

"He must be out back again." She muttered as though to herself. Rubbing her hands together, she went to the kitchen window and peaked out past the drapes, sighing in a way that said she saw the kid. "I've had about enough of this."

"What exactly is he doing?" Setzer asked, picking at the long sleeves of his white linen shirt as he looked to her.

"He's being impossible." Terra grumbled as she reached into the cupboard and drew three small earthenware cups from within. She filled them from the little water bucket on the counter and passed them out, taking a gulp from her own. "We have tried everything with him. Canaan is ready to beat him. For heaven's sake, he won't even tell us his name! I call him Einon, but he won't respond to it. And he just stands there and watches us like we're foolish for living. It's not that he's causing trouble, it's that he's refusing to be a part of anything. All we want is to give him a warm bath and a place to rest his head, but he won't have anything to do with it."

"A good whipping indeed." Setzer said softly, his voice even as he rubbed briefly at his strong chin. "Maybe working on the houses will get him to cooperate."

"Houses?" Terra asked, looking over her shoulder at them, one eyebrow raised. "Oh! Yes, I hope so. We could use his hands."

"Well, we've offered to stay and help, so you still have extra hands." Locke said brightly as he slowly sat down on the sofa cushions, carefully cradling Bishop in one arm and easing himself down with the other. The baby burbled again and Locke turned a smile to him, raising a finger to rub at the infant's cheek.

"You will?" The half-esper asked, her eyes widening as she looked between the two of them. "But, how? Why?"

"Because you need us." Setzer said with a shrug, pulling a chair out from beneath the dinner table and easing himself into it. "And because we want to. And it looks like Locke needs some baby time."

Locke looked up, scrunching up his face and sticking his tongue out at the gambler. Setzer shook his head, chuckling as he leaned back in the chair, his ghostly eyes sparkling with mirth. Terra smiled softly and peaked out the window once more, her smile turning to a frown a moment later. She sighed and reached into a cupboard, drawing out a loaf of bread and cutting a hefty slice from it. Taking up a shiny apple, she wrapped it and the bread into a small handkerchief and tied it into a bundle.

"Well, come on you two. We might as well introduce you to him."

--

_Swing._

_Thock!_

_Swing._

Thock!

The pieces of freshly chopped wood fell by the wayside as the axe cleaved them neatly in two. Sweat poured down Locke's back as he placed another log on the stump and raised the axe once more. His muscles cried out from the weight of the axe as he heaved it through the wood, enjoying the rough work.

Last night had been an interesting one. After dinner He, Terra, Setzer and Jacoby had sat down together in the living room of Terra's little house and discussed Edgar's thoughts and possible decision in Figaro the day before. She'd been angry at first, understandably so. But then, her anger turned into despair and she retired into her room, leaving them with a livid Jacoby. The young man had left the house to clear his head, but had returned not long after, grumbling about Einon haunting the square. Despite the tension in the little house, Setzer had gone to Terra's room and knocked, going within before she even spoke. He'd shut the door behind him and didn't come out for an hour, the room quiet.

It was past their usual bed time when he came out, pinching the bridge of his nose and sweeping his hair back over his shoulder. He'd sighed and told Jacoby she'd asked for him. The young man had slept in the bed with her that night and Setzer had taken his bed for the evening while Locke had the sofa. The house was still tense when Jacoby had woken him to bring in the fish that morning, Setzer deciding to join them.

_Swing._

_Thock!_

The last log split easily, the halves falling aside, allowing him to pause and breathe for a moment. A last swing wedged the axe into the stump, leaving it for the next batch of wood. Bending, he began to stack the pieces into neat piles, one for each house. They'd be starting the roofs in the morning and they needed new tiles in certain places. He'd finish cutting these down in the morning.

Wiping his hands on his pants, Locke pulled the axe from the stump and started around towards the front of Terra's house, absently tugging at his sweat soaked shirt, peeling it away from his heated skin. Terra stood at the side of the house, pulling the freshly dried laundry down from the line and folding it into neat piles on the table. She smiled at him as he approached, raising a hand to brush a few sweat soaked strands of hair from her flushed face.

"That was fast." She said with a chuckle as she set aside a neatly folded shirt, her eyes bright despite the heat of the day.

"Yeah well…" Locke blushed, rubbing at the back of his head. It wasn't like he was super strong or anything; he'd just lost himself in thought again. "Heh…"

Terra smiled, her cheek dimpling as one of the children in the square squealed, followed by a round of laughter. The half-esper looked over her shoulder at the gathered children as she tugged another shirt down from the line. He came to stand beside her as she turned to face the square fully, her hands deftly folding the shirt and setting it aside. There seemed to be a game of tag going on at the base of the hill, the younger kids resting in the shade while the older children chased each other about. Locke chuckled as Alan, Valda's boy, dove on Oscar, the two of them rolling about and throwing up clouds of dust.

"Goddess…"Terra scoffed, though her voice was tinged with amusement. "Do they ever stop?"

"Of course not." Locke laughed; gripping her shoulder and pulling her in for a one armed hug. "They're boys."

"Yes well, the boys are going to drive me insane. I've enough to worry about already. I don't need to worry about repairing shirts on top of everything else." She muttered under her breath. She sighed and turned her nose turned up in the air, a scowl on her lips. "Oh heavens, and so will you. Give me that shirt."

Locke could only laugh as she stepped away and stretched out a hand, her fingers beckoning for him to turn over his shirt. Without a choice, Locke slipped the sweat soaked cotton over his head and passed it to the woman, a lopsided smirk tugging at his mouth. She gave another derisive sniff and dropped the shirt into the still full wash bucket, her hands following it a moment later, working at it quickly. On a moment's impulse, he reached out and set a hand on her bent back, rubbing at it gently, like he often did with Celes. Terra looked up at him over her shoulder, past the ponytail hanging over her shoulder. She smiled softly at him, the gentle look in her eyes warming a spot in his heart.

He patted her back a second longer before stepping away and reaching up to pull a pair of pants from the line, one of the last few. Casting a glance out over the village from his place on the hill, Locke set to folding the clothing, setting it aside once it was finished and then taking up another. He smiled when he spotted the white flash that was Setzer's hair atop Marian's roof. He and Canaan crawled along the edges of the raised structure, stretching a length of rope in between them for measuring purposes. Canaan's laugh joined the cries of the children as he and Setzer set off down the ladder, ready to move to the next house. Today they were taking measurements and tomorrow they were putting them to use.

Together, he and Terra made quick work of the hanging clothes, hanging up his last shirt to dry in the hot afternoon sun. Terra turned to face him, pressing her hands into her lower back to crack the bones. Laying a hand over her lower stomach and keeping a hand pressed to her back, an annoying habit she developed on her trip home, she offered him a tiny smile before her eyes darkened and she looked past him. Blinking, he looked over his shoulder in the direction of her gaze. Einon sat hunched at the edge of the hill, gazing down at the children below. Locke frowned and looked back at her, drawing her gaze. Terra frowned herself and stepped past him, her hand still rubbing at her sore belly as she slowly approached the boy. But, for a moment, Locke could have sworn she looked past the child, to the south entrance of the village.

"Einon." Her voice was soft as she called to the boy, coming to stand a few feet behind him. The boy looked over his shoulder at her, a sneer on his lips. His filthy face curled into a look of pure disgust, his copper eyes hateful. Terra's shoulders slumped at the look he delivered, but being who she was, she drove on. "I have some clothes that would fit you; freshly washed. Would you like to take a bath and change into them?"

The boy sneered again, his thin face a beacon of pure hate. He growled low in his throat and got up, brushing his dirty hands on his equally dirty pants and walked down the hill, his head held high.

Terra growled herself, her hands curling into fists at her sides. Locke sympathized with her; this kid was nasty. When she'd introduced he and Setzer to the kid yesterday, he'd done just about the same thing, except that he'd thumbed his nose at them then. It felt strange to be right about the kid needing a good whipping. These people were feeding him and offering him a place to stay and all he could do was sneer at them like a noble to a poor peasant and tromp away. It was getting to the point where Locke was ready to beat him.

"That boy is on his way to getting a swift kick in the pants." Terra grumbled, turning back to the laundry. She scooped up the basket and balanced it on one hip, rubbing at her back.

"Forget the kick." Locke muttered, grinding his teeth. "I think a full blown beating is in order. What is his problem? Is he a rich kid or something?"

"No, he's not rich, or he'd have taken a bath by now. And stop it, no more talk about beating him." She replied with a sigh turning a dark eye to him. "Like I said, we know nothing about him other than that he was half starved when Marian found him. He never goes far from my house though, except to sleep on Katrin's porch. So, he must find my house safer. He could come inside if he just talked to me."

"No, Terra." He said suddenly, cutting a hand through the air to emphasize his point. She blinked up at him, surprised by his denial. "Not until he decides to be polite. It may be your house, but as long as I'm there, he'll be polite to you whether he likes it or not. You feed him you offer to bathe him and slap clothes on his back for free and he gives you that kind of attitude? I don't think so. I'll kick his ass first."

"Locke…"

"No. No questions asked."

--

The afternoon passed surprisingly quickly. By the time Canaan and Setzer had finished their measurements, supper had been ready. They decided to sit outside in the evening sun, the kids plopping happily down in the dirt while the adults dragged chairs out of the meeting hall. Valda had to break up a small fight before there was food in the air, but other than that it proved to be a nice meal. Locke had sat in his chair beside Terra, his eyes focused on the side of the hill where Einon sat with his bowl of stew, spooning it rather greedily into his mouth. Terra had had to leave the bowl and bread on a rock at the base of the hill in order to get him to eat. The kid had come down for it then retreated up to the top again to eat.

Terra had been strangely quiet through dinner, her gaze shifting towards the south entrance of the village from time to time, the stress lines in her face deep. Duane had come to talk to her at one point, their voices hushed. Whatever he'd said to her, she nodded and sighed, her shoulders slumping with disappointment. Setzer had inquired as to what was wrong after dinner, but Terra had passed it off as nothing, a faint smile tugging her lips. There was an air of expectancy about her as they retired for the evening, Jacoby muttering to her as they retreated into her room for bed, but nothing came of it. The night had passed quietly, and much faster than Locke would have liked.

The strange tension that had come to the village with the appearance of Einon was bothering him. The whole village was already tied up in knots trying to get the houses set to handle the frost, but the summer rains were also on their way, rushing them along even more. So dealing with Einon just made the whole atmosphere of the village much heavier than it needed to be. He spent most of the night staring up at the black ceiling, reflecting on the boy's constant disrespect and flat out bad attitude. It was enough to make him want to hang the boy. When Katrin had gone up the hill to retrieve his bowl after dinner, Einon had thrown it at her feet, splattering the remains of his stew over the bottom of her dress. She'd scolded him loudly, Bishop complaining with equal volume as the kid just sneered at her and walked away to hide behind Terra's house.

The next morning, Jacoby woke him by smacking him in the face with a pillow, the young man's eyes shining with mirth as Locke fell from the couch, coughing with surprise. The treasure hunter was unhappy about the rude awakening, but he was glad to see that the young man's spirits had lifted. The noise woke Setzer, who decided to join the fishing group once more. They'd met a distracted Duane and Canaan in the square. They stood waiting for the three of them, the gear at their feet as they stared up at Duane's porch. Einon was gazing at them steadily through the railing, an old blanket draped over his shoulders. Duane was talking about taking the boy along, but they opted against it and left for the river, leaving the kid behind.

Locke shook his head as he dragged the net up the riverbank, tossing his thoughts aside. Six fish flopped about in the net as he bent to count them, a smirk tugging at his lips as Setzer and Jacoby dragged up the last net not far from him. Duane dragged one of the fish baskets over for Locke to toss the fish in quietly, the same lines that had been in Terra's face the night before now showing in his.

"Duane…" Locke asked, keeping his voice down as much as he could over the rumble of the river. "What the hell is going on around here?"

"What do you mean?" The farmer asked, brushing his soaked hair from his face, his normally bright eyes dark.

"I mean this weird look that's come over Terra, and now you." Locke ground out, looking back over his shoulder to make sure no one was listening. "It's like everyone is waiting for something."

Duane blinked at him, eyes wide. It took a moment for him to answer, strangely taken surprise by the question.

"It's the rains." He said, his voice shaking ever so slightly. "We're waiting for the summer rains. We can't do anything when they come. And we're worried the houses won't be done in time."

"Of course they will." Locke countered, thrown off by the quiver in the man's voice. Something was going on here, and Locke didn't like to be lied to about it. "You have Setzer and I."

Duane nodded and offered him a grateful smile, the lines fading from his handsome face for a moment. Locke kept his eyes on the farmer as he carried the fish basket to the last net, allowing Jacoby to fill it as Setzer stood back to stretch. Once the basket was filled, Canaan heaved one up onto his back and Locke took the other while Setzer and Jacoby folded the nets, leaving Duane to gather their tools. Duane was strangely quiet as they made the walk back to the village, his eyes focused on his feet. Despite Duane's strange behavior, they walked back laughing when Canaan's stomach gave a sudden loud rumble, and a red blush spreading across his face. They were cracking jokes at him as they came up the road, noticing the cart in the square a moment before they came into the area.

It was a good-sized cart with broad, expensive wheels and good strong wood for bracing. Two tall chocobo stood strapped to the cart, their proud heads held high as they pawed at the hard packed dirt in agitation. Beside the cart stood three men, each wearing heavy travel capes. The men stood stiffly, their arms crossed over their chests in a standoffish nature. Their posture putting a tension in the air that Locke didn't like.

Locke stopped at the sight, the others halting beside him a moment later. He ducked back around the side of the storage shed, motioning for the other's to join him as he peaked around the side Terra stood alone before one of the men, the man apparently in charge, as his cape was a rich blue, unlike the mousy brown of the other two. From the set of her jaw, and the way she folded her arms across her chest, there was obviously an argument going on.

Setting his basket down, Locke motioned for Setzer to follow but for the others to stay. They crept as quietly as they could around the back of the stable and to the side of Marian's house, the best vantage point they could get for the situation. The man motioned at Terra with a gloved hand, sweeping it about in a way that showed he was talking about the whole village.

"There are many children here, Sir." Terra said, cocking a hip. Locke strained to hear her words as she kept her voice down, obviously trying to prevent a scene. "And you may see none of them."

"Please understand, dear lady." The man replied, an arrogant smirk on his face from the sound of his voice. "We only want the one. The boy that was taken from Anthem."

"We have taken no children out of Anthem recently, good sir." Terra denied, a frown on her lips. "The children we have are the ones we have always had."

"Don't lie to me woman." The man scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "We known you took him, the shopkeepers in the high street said so."

"The shopkeepers were wrong then, weren't they?" Terra argued, her eyes narrowing. "We have taken no children out of Anthem."

"Look, lady." One of the other men piped up, a younger man, in his late teens perhaps? "We just want the kid."

"We have no children matching your description, and we will turn over no others."

"Dear lady," The leader continued, waving for the other man to be silent. "You're making this much more difficult than it has to be. We are willing to pay you for turning the boy over to us. And from the looks of things, you could use the gold."

"Sir, I would appreciate it if you did not try to bribe us based on our poverty." Terra sneered, her thin frame stiffening. "We do not have this child. You may have better luck in Nikeah or Traum. Either way, I suggest that you leave."

"Not without the boy."

Locke narrowed his eyes as the man reached down to his belt, revealing the silver hilt of a long dagger. It was only a threat, but it could turn ugly fast. His decision was instant. Stepping out from around the side of the house, Locke started down into the square, Setzer following a few steps behind. Good, he might need the extra muscle. He squared his shoulders as one of the other men spotted him and reached out to poke the lead man in the shoulder. The leader looked to him as he came to stand beside Terra, trying to ignore her surprised glance up at him. Locke sized up the man before he spoke. Taking note of their equal size and stature, he eyed the man's face, looking for any clues as to who he was. Brown eyes stared at him out of an arrogant face, a scowl on his lips as he raised a hand to brush aside his chin length mud colored hair.

"Is something wrong?" Locke asked, steadily holding the man's gaze. The man blinked at him, suddenly surprised by Locke's decision to interfere. He must not have expected someone else to step in. This was a man who preferred to pressure women into giving him what he wanted, that was obvious. "What can I do for you? And why have you upset my wife?"

"Your…wife?" The man questioned under his breath, eyes wide. Oh, so that was part of it, huh? Sorry buddy. She may not be Locke's but he still couldn't have her. The man seemed to mentally shake himself after a moment then his smirk returned. "My men and I have lost something of ours. A young boy of about twelve. You see, he's run away from home, and we've come to take him back."

"Well, we don't have any new ones." Locke said evenly, keeping his eyes on the man even has he dragged his gaze away. "Kids run away for a reason, friend. I suggest you let it go."

"Well, you see. This one doesn't have a choice." The man replied, capturing Locke's gaze again. "He has several debts to repay me and I intend to collect. It's my right."

"Not from a child, it's not." Terra growled, her shoulders stiffening as her hands curled into shaking fists. The man turned his smirk to Terra, his eyes twinkling as he opened his mouth to reply to her, but Locke cut him off.

"We don't have any boys that age." He lied, drawing the man's gaze back to him. " You might look in Traum at the orphanage."

"I'm not going to Traum." The man growled, his lithe frame going stiff. "I know he's here."

"And we're telling you that he's not." Setzer said before Locke could get a word in. The tall gambler came to stand beside him, fixing the three men with a cool gaze; his ghostly eyes chill despite the growing heat of the morning. "If he's not in Traum then he's in Nikeah. We cannot help you beyond that."

There was finality in Setzer's voice that sent a shiver up Locke's spine. He'd only heard that tone in Setzer's voice a few times before and it always left a chill in the listener's veins. The man blinked up at the imposing pilot, his eyes wide once more. Setzer crossed his arms over his chest, looking down his pointed nose at the man, daring him to push the subject again. Locke stared up at Setzer as well, a streak of envy running through him. He'd give almost anything to be able to scare a man just by looking at him.

"He's here." The man said after swallowing, looking back to Terra, who crossed her arms and cocked a hip once more. "And I'll get him from you. One way or another."

With that, the man spun about and walked back to the cart, head held high. He crawled up into the back with one of the men while the other took the drivers seat and wheeled the chocobo pair about, steering them out of the village. Terra sagged as the cart vanished off the village grounds, leaving nothing but a cloud of dust behind. She sighed and raised a hand to rub at her temples as Locke slipped an arm about her shoulders, confused.

"What in Goddess' name was that?" Duane asked, running up the hill, the fish basket Locke had dropped in his hands. "Where are the kids?"

"They're safe." Terra soothed, stepping out of Locke's grasp and pressing a hand onto Duane's shoulder. The farmer took her hand and gripped it lovingly, worry in his eyes.

"They hadn't come out yet when those men drove in. Katrin had the door open but she shut it so fast the windows shook. I'm sure they're all downstairs right now. Beware though, she's bound to have your spear."

"Mother, who was that?" Jacoby questioned, his face hard as he looked her over, checking for any signs of damage.

"I'm not sure. But I could swear I've seen him in Anthem."

"You have." Came Marian's rich voice as she approached them from her house, her knuckles white as she gripped a large kitchen knife. "His name is Thackery Holmes. He's a small time crook who fancies himself to be a mobster. But, for being small time, he has most of Anthem sitting in the palm of his hand. What did he want with Einon?"

"I guess Einon has some kind of debt with the guy." Locke shrugged, reaching out to Terra as she turned to look back up the hill at her house. She peaked back at him over her shoulder before setting a hand atop his. "Where is he?"

"He burst in through the front door as I was getting dressed. He slammed it so hard I thought it broke, then he tried to pull the sofa in front of it when the cart rolled into the square." Terra mumbled, looking back up at the house again. "He's probably blocked the door again."

"Do you think he'll come out?" Setzer questioned, following Terra's gaze up to the dark house, crossing his arms over his chest.

"No, he won't." Marian cut in, casting a nervous glance towards the entrance to the village. "He was jumpy as a jack rabbit when I met him and he only calmed when we got a good distance out of Anthem. He'll be so panicked we'll have to drag him out."

Setzer looked to her and nodded. To Locke's surprise, Marian blushed and dropped her gaze, raising her hand to tuck a mussed wave of chocolate behind her ear, revealing a glittering line of metal studs trailing up the lobe. He'd never seen her blush before, and never with jewelry. Could she possibly….? Locke chuckled and shook his head, brushing the thought aside. Terra looked to him and raised a delicate eyebrow, confused by his amusement. Shrugging, he started up the hill, raising a hand to brush at his wet bandanna.

"Well, there's no point in standing around and talking about it." He laughed, nervously, trying to brush off the heavy tension in the air. "Let's go get him. I don't like the idea of dirty hand prints on the furniture."

Terra chuckled herself and shook her head, a smile on her lips as she went up the hill after him, jogging slightly to keep up. The house was silent as they came to the door, the curtains drawn over the windows despite the brilliance of the morning sun. Locke raised a hand to knock on the door, the frame rattling too much for his liking. This house needed work; much more than a simple roof repair. He knocked again when there was no answer, this time calling to the boy within. When he was again greeting with silence, he took hold of the handle and pushed inward, expecting resistance. The kid had indeed pushed something in front of the door again, but it gave a little, so it could only be a table or the sofa. He shook his head when Setzer and Marian came to stand with them.

Locke braced his shoulder against the door as Setzer joined him, pressing a boot to the bottom of the boards and his hands against the frame. At the count of three, they pushed. The door budged, but only just, leaving an opening about a foot wide. Peeking through the crack, Locke found no sign of the kid in the house and wondered if he'd jumped out a window. He pressed his shoulder into the crack and tried to squeeze the door open again, but was stopped when his hip met the edge of the dinner table. Cursing, he stepped back, wondering if he could squeeze through and move the table. He looked back as Terra set a hand on his arm, a soft smile curling her lips. She brushed him aside and peered in through the doorway, tossing her bound hair back over her slim shoulder.

Taking a breath, Terra pressed herself through the door, tugging up her long red skirt and setting a hip atop the table. She groaned faintly as she squeezed through, grumbling when she cracked an ankle painfully against the doorjamb. Locke stared at the door in shock at her success as Setzer chuckled beside him.

"Oh heavens." Terra said with a laugh, her voice muffled by the door. "The table and the sofa."

"Panic indeed." Setzer laughed, leaning into the crack. "Can you move it?"

"Yes, I think so."

Terra groaned from exertion as something heavy slid across the floorboards, screeching in such a way that Locke just knew the floor was damaged. The door opened a moment later, just enough to allow them to squeeze through. The table had been moved, but the sofa remained in place, mostly blocking the door. Setzer pressed through first, hauling himself over the sofa easily before turning and offering Locke a hand in aid.

"No shoes in the house." Locke laughed as he came over the sofa. Terra laughed lightheartedly as Marian scrambled in next, the knife still gripped in her hand.

Terra looked about the living room, looking under the table and even in the cupboards while Setzer looked in Jacoby's room. Marian dug through the broom closet, commenting that one of the brooms was missing. Einon had probably taken it for protection, Locke thought as he made for Terra's bedroom door. It was closed, so there was a good chance the kid was inside. The door was blocked when he tried to open it, probably barricaded by Terra's dresser. He called to the others as he pressed his hip and shoulder to the door, trying to push it open. It budged a little but not much.

"Einon?" Terra asked, coming to stand beside him, her hands pressing against the door. "Einon, if you're in there, open the door. They're gone."

When there was no reply, Locke pressed hard against the door, throwing his weight against it. Something rattled on the other side but slid ever so slightly across the floor. Pressing his weight into it again, Locke was able to slide it enough for Terra to squeeze through. The room was quiet for a moment before Terra gasped and there was a dull thump. Marian called to her, rushing to the door. But there was still no response. On the other side of the door, Terra cursed and another thump followed.

"Give me the broom, Einon!" She commanded, her voice rising in annoyance.

"That's not my name!" Einon shouted at her. Locke blinked, surprised by the boy's response. He'd never heard him speak before.

"It is in my house, young man. At least until you tell me your real name." Terra growled, her voice followed by another thump.

"Bugger off!"

"You watch your mouth in this house, young man!"

"I said, bugger off, you bitch!"

"Oh, that is it!"

Locke threw himself against the door as a crash sounded within the room, something heavy falling to the ground. The kid cried out as the dresser finally moved aside enough to let him squeeze through. Terra and Einon lay on the floor on the other side of the bed, a tangle of long limbs as Terra pinned the kid down. Einon thrashed about, hopelessly beating at her with his one free fist. But, even from his place by the door, Locke could see the weakness in the kid's struggles. He stood in confusion for a moment as Marian crowded in behind him, pressing the knife into his hand.

"Good Goddess." Marian said with a laugh, stepping past Locke. "Don't kill him, Terra!"

"I swear, if he mouths off at me one more time…"Terra growled, clutching at Einon's wrists as she got her feet beneath her. The kid squawked as Terra stood, dragging him by the wrists. Einon dragged back on her hands, letting his legs go limp in a last ditch effort to get her to leave him alone. He snarled obscenities as Terra bodily dragged him around the side of the bed.

"Now listen here, you." Terra began, her voice a dangerous growl. "I've had about enough of your attitude. You are going to take a bath, now. You stink to high heaven. You will change your clothes and you will eat a full meal. And for Goddess' sake, you will sleep in a bed. Am I clear young man?"

"Go jump off a cliff you hag!"

"Enough!" Setzer suddenly rumbled, pushing his way through the door. He brushed a chuckling Marian aside as he came into the room, fixing the fighting pair with a chill gaze. Terra sighed and quieted, relaxing her grip a little. Einon stared up at Setzer, his eyes wide with fear as the gambler came around to tower over the two of them.

"Get up, now." The gambler commanded, leaning forward slightly to emphasize his point. Terra released the kid's hands and stepped back as Setzer narrowed his eyes at the boy. "I said, now."

Einon swallowed hard and scrambled to his feet, his filthy hands coming up to brush hair of an uncertain color from his eyes. Setzer stood back and motioned for Terra to take over once more. Terra crossed her arms over her chest and looked the now shaking boy up and down as Setzer motioned for Locke to aid him in moving the dresser aside.

"Bath, now." Terra growled, pointing a long finger at the door, her body stiff with anger. Locke couldn't keep himself from staring as the boy, who proved to be quite tall, slouched and made for the door, tucking his dirty hands into his pockets.

"For Goddess' sake child," Marian grumbled, following Einon out the door. "Stand up straight. How am I supposed to dress you if I can't tell how big you are."

Locke stepped back once the dresser was back into place, turning a surprised eye to Terra's suddenly trashed bedroom. Terra shook her head with a sigh, raising a hand to brush a stray strand of emerald away from her face. She bent and picked up the broom, and slipped past them into the living room. Locke brushed past Setzer, leaving the gambler behind as he came into the living room, his heart still thudding in his chest. Terra was fidgeting about in the broom closet when he came to her, her hands pulling a wash bucket and coarse bar of soap from within.

"It's going to take two of us to clean him up." She said to him, her voice still hard with frustration. She dropped the soap into the bucket and went to pull a few rags out of a drawer in the kitchen. "I don't how long it will take, and breakfast will definitely be late. We'll go use Marian's bathhouse. It's bigger.

"Terra…"He said softly, reaching for her. She stiffened as he laid a hand on her shoulder, her flesh shaking beneath his fingertips. "Terra, hold on a sec. Give yourself a chance to settle down."

"Locke, I'm fine." She soothed, her voice still tight. She looked up at him, her amethyst eyes still dark, despite the faint smile curling her thin lips.

"Alright," He conceded, keeping a grip on her shoulder despite her stiffness. "But take a breath, for me?"

Her shoulders sagged and she nodded, her expression softening. She dropped her gaze and breathed, her small form exuding exhaustion. Locke cautiously slipped his arms about her shoulders, ready to let go should she stiffen again. But, rather than pushing away, she set a hand on his chest, allowing him to slip his arms down and about her waist. He tucked her head beneath his chin and pulled her close, grateful that the run in with that Holmes fellow hadn't turned ugly.

"Mother?"

Jacoby stood in the still slightly blocked doorway, his hands braced against the frame. There was color high in his cheeks and he was breathing hard, indicating that he'd at least jogged up the hill. The young man blinked at them, his eyes twinkling as a faint smile curled his lips at the sight of them. Terra stayed in Locke's grasp and she looked to her son, pulling her head up from his chest.

"Is everything alright?" She asked, her voice tinged with worry.

"Yes, but, Katrin hit one of the stairs in the children's room with Duane's spear when he went downstairs, it's broken." Jacoby replied, his faint smile turning into an amused smirk. "He's okay, though. Just scared to death of his wife."

"I told him she'd have it." Terra laughed, dropping her head against Locke's chest once more. Her laughter was infectious and Locke found himself chuckling as well as he raised a hand to rub at her back. He could only imagine the look on Duane's face when Katrin came around the stairwell at him with the spear.

"Yeah, well, it's Duane." Jacoby grinned and raised a hand to brush his hair back from his face. "Do you think it's safe to bring the kids out yet?"

"Yes, I think so." Terra sighed, pulling herself out of Locke's grasp. His arms ached for her to return as she made for the door, bucket in hand. "Marian and I are off to fight with Einon so breakfast will be late."

"I can cook." Jacoby replied, his voice bright despite the tension of the morning. "And Valda's still free."

"Well, all right." Terra conceded, tucking another, rougher rag into the bucket. "Don't forget that you need a bath yourself."

Jacoby laughed and agreed with his mother as the two of them vanished out the door, Terra tossing a glance and a smile at Locke over her shoulder. Locke raised a hand and waved faintly, tucking his suddenly cold hands into his pockets once they had left. His heart beat meekly in his chest as he stared at the blocked door, his eyes on the out of place sofa. He chewed on his lip as he stepped towards the sofa, pulling his hands free and getting a grip on the wood framework. It hauled across the floor with a screech; his brow furrowing as the floorboards scratched once more beneath the sofa's heavy feet.

The feeling of eyes on him drew his attention to Terra's room as he moved the sofa back into its rightful place. Setzer stood in the doorway, his hands braced against the frame as he fixed Locke with a cool gaze, his ghostly eyes unreadable. Locke frowned as the gambler blinked steadily, his eyes searching the treasure hunter's face. The muscles in his back suddenly tightened as Setzer raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk curling his lips.

He didn't think…? No. No, it wasn't like that. But, still…Would Setzer say anything to Celes about it? Why would he? There was nothing going on between him and Terra, so there was nothing to tell. Was there? No. No, there wasn't. But….still…

"Don't…" He began, his face growing hot with frustration. His eyes narrowed as he fixed the pilot with an uncertain glare.

"I didn't see anything worth worrying about, Cole." The man replied, nonchalantly, raising a hand to examine his river mud caked nails. "Besides, I'm not one for gossip. You clean up first. I'm going to go check on the kids."

With that, Setzer swept out of the house, throwing a glance and a smirk over his shoulder at Locke. But, Locke did not fear that smirk, as he would have from anyone else. His shoulders relaxed and a comforting warmth spread through him. It did feel like Setzer thought something was going on between him and Terra; but it also felt like Setzer approved. How was Locke supposed to feel about that? Angry, he supposed. But, he wasn't angry. He was strangely…

Happy…

--

Terra and Marian were gone for over two hours, missing breakfast altogether and appeared shortly after the kids had been let out to play before lessons. They were smiling despite having soaked skirts and red hands and faces. Einon however, stalked up the hill with a scowl, vanishing behind Terra's little house without a scrap to eat. He proved to be a rather handsome young man, surprisingly; his hair as rusty as his eyes and his skin fair and freckled.

"Goddess almighty." Marian sighed as she dropped into a chair at the dinner table. "I thought we would never stop scrubbing."

"I haven't seen that much filth since we went through the ancient castle under Figaro." Terra groaned, setting a hand on her belly. "What has he been doing to himself?"

"I'm not sure I want to know." Locke mumbled as he came to the table, setting the remains of a loaf of bread on the table before them. They picked at it aimlessly, their faces tired in the lamplight. "Did he say anything?"

"He cursed at us a few times." Marian grumbled, popping a tiny scrap of bread into her mouth. "But he stopped that after I threatened to stuff the bar of soap down his throat."

"She almost slapped him a few times." Terra chuckled, drawing away from the plate, uninterested.

Locke's brow furrowed despite the tired laughter that emanated from the two women. He frowned as Terra folded her hands in her lap, the plate of bread completely forgotten even as Marian tore into it.

"Well, angry or not, at least he's clean." Marian shrugged, popping another bit of bread into her mouth. "Now if we can only get him to sleep in a bed."

"Good luck with that." Valda said, sweeping in through the door, Amaria in tow. "He out behind your house again, Terra, sulking."

"Of course he is." Terra sighed, leaning back in her chair. She smiled as Amaria drifted over to the table, allowing Marian to pull her into her lap.

"He just sits out there." The nine-year-old huffed. "Like he's waiting for his mom to come get him."

"No. No, it's not that." Terra sighed. She leaned forward on the table, propping an elbow on the surface and laying a cheek in her palm. "He knows she's not coming."

"What do you mean?" Locke asked, dropping down into a chair across from table.

"He told us some of what happened." Marian sighed, pressing a kiss into Amaria's chocolate locks. "Granted, we had to force it out of him. But, apparently, his parents have passed."

"Passed?" Locke inquired, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "Together? Was it an accident?"

"No, according to Einon, it was murder." Terra stated, rubbing briefly at her nose. "He says he was there. Apparently, his parents were gamblers; or his mother at least. She borrowed money from Holmes and when she couldn't pay it back…they went after her. I guess Holmes thought there would be money in the estate, but there wasn't. So now, Holmes wants Einon to work for him as payment."

"What kind of work?" Locke inquired, a feeling of unease settling in his stomach like sludge. He had an inkling as to what Holmes could use Einon for; and it sent chills up his spine.

"We didn't have the heart to ask." Marian murmured, pulling Amaria's head into the crook of her neck.

"I don't blame you." Locke said offhandedly, rubbing at his chin. He gazed down at the plate on the table and at the emerald haired woman sitting just beyond. Reaching out, he pushed the plate towards Terra, but kept his gaze on the wood. "Do you think that Holmes guy will come back?"

"Oh, of course he will." Terra announced, eyeing the plate. She pinched off a bit of crust and pressed it to her tongue. Locke leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs as he rubbed at his chin once more, hiding a smile behind his hand.

"He knows we lied to him." Terra continued, tugging at the spongy center of the loaf and pulling a good chunk to her. "It won't be long until we see him again. He may even come back this afternoon."

"I doubt that." Locke scoffed. He blinked steadily under Terra's derisive glare, unmoved. He loved her dearly, but she was overestimating this guy.

"I don't, not in the slightest."

Locke looked up to find Duane in the doorway, the broad man's face firm. A faint frown curled Duane's lips as he came into the meeting hall. He dropped easily into a chair beside Terra, resting his elbows on his knees.

"What do you mean?" Locke questioned, raising an eyebrow as the farmer threw him a glance.

"I met him a few years ago in Anthem after Thea passed." Duane began, crossing his legs as he leaned back in his chair. "He's really not that tough. At least he wasn't then. But, he does know how to talk; how to talk pretty. It's earned him a reputation, and for a guy like Holmes, reputation is everything. His group will know what's happened here, so he'll be back to save his rep. And he'll have more men this time."

"Oh, What in Goddess' name would he do that for?" Marian asked, throwing up her hands in exasperation. "This is a village of nothing but children damn it!"

"Mommy, hush." Amaria whispered, pressing a finger to her lips. "Watch your mouth, Locke is here."

Marian blushed and whispered an apology to her daughter, rubbing her nose into the girl's cheek. Locke blinked as Amaria laughed and kissed her mother. Why was the girl hushing her mother just because he was here? He cursed like a sailor every day; what was the point? But the twinkle in Terra's amethyst eyes as she tossed a tiny smile at him, explained everything. They were using him as a way to keep the children from cursing. How interesting. Was it because he was more of a guest than a resident? He'd have to ask Terra later.

"So, what do we do?" Locke asked Duane, casting his thoughts aside.

"We wait." Terra answered softly. "We wait and see what he does."

"I'd feel better if we all had knives on us though." Marian added, her brown eyes hard as she held her wide-eyed daughter to her.

"He won't hurt us." The girl cut in, her voice like porcelain in the quiet hall. "I don't think he's dumb."

"No, he's not. You've got that right, little 'un." Duane said, turning a smile to the girl. "But we aren't either, and I'd just feel better that way, all right?"

Locke sighed inwardly as Amaria nodded, her eyes sad. He had to commend the kid, though; there was no fear in her eyes. But then, he couldn't blame her for not being afraid. If the scars that covered both she and Marian told any of their story, they'd been through worse than a tussle with a small time bandit.

Terra and Marian nodded in agreement with Duane, sealing the deal. Each of the adults would wear knives for the next few days, or at least until this whole thing blew over. Terra rose and excused herself to go speak with the other adults about the situation, Duane in tow. However, as Marian rose from her chair, Locke stopped her, a sudden desire to understand those scars and the fear behind them, overwhelming. She blinked at him as he asked her to stay a moment, her brow furrowed. Amaria ran off after Terra as Marian took her seat again, curiosity sparkling in her eyes as Locke leaned forward in his chair, bracing his elbows on his knees.

"What is it?" She asked, her voice soft and cautious.

"I have a question that I need to know if I can ask." He said gently, his heart suddenly pounding with the severity of what he was about to ask. He knew nothing about Marian save that she killed her husband after he beat her and her children. The woman blinked at him for a moment, her eyes wide and mirror-like before realization dawned in them, darkening the rich brown.

"I know what you want, but, why?" She asked, her brow furrowed with nervous curiosity. Thankfully, there was no anger in those lustrous eyes, but Locke's heart still beat fiercely.

"Because of Einon." He answered, his voice shaking with uncertainty. "Maybe, if I can understand what happened to you and your children, then maybe I can understand what Einon is going through."

"Ah, I see." Marian said, leaning back in her chair. She crossed one leg over the other and folded her hands in her lap, her eyes appraising him across the table. "It's not the story, it's the upset in the mind that you want to understand. You want a place to begin with him."

"Heh, yes." Locke stammered, rubbing at the back of his head and blinking nervously at her.

"Locke, I don't think my story will get you very far." She sighed, casting her gaze into her lap and picking at her simple dress. "I don't know how my children felt about what happened."

"That's okay." He cut in, throwing his gaze to her. His eyes implored, desperate to understand this friend he never thought he'd have. "In that case, I…I just want to know. I…I want to understand why someone one would want to hurt you so badly."

Marian stared at him, her eyes wide and her rosy lips parted. She looked down into her lap for a moment, her long chocolate locks hanging down in her scarred face. Swallowing hard, she looked up at him again, raising a hand to brush a lock of hair behind her ear. With a nod she shifted in her chair, settling in for what would apparently be a long story. Locke sat forward in his seat, his heart in his throat as he watched her gather her thoughts.

"I hope you'll forgive me," She began, her voice fragile in the silent hall. "This isn't the easiest story to tell. But don't worry; I'm not going to start crying. It's not worth my tears."

Taking a deep breath, the woman focused her eyes on the tabletop, her brow furrowed with the stress of her train of thought.

"My family was never very wealthy, but never very poor, either. I married young; sixteen. My parents had arranged it with a man twice my age, he was well off and they wanted me to live a comfortable life, considering they were older when I was born. Things were good for a time; he was kind and gentle, understanding how young I was. But, when I got into my twenties, he expected me to love him and began wanting more love of the physical kind. It wasn't awful, but I never enjoyed it very much. I was twenty-two when Nestor was born; my beautiful baby boy. The love of my life." She paused to smile, turning a nostalgic glance down at her hands. "But at this time, I began to pine for someone my age. I was young and lovely and desperate for a great romance like you hear about in fairytales. But, I was trapped. I had no shortage of eyes on me, but I refused to break my vows. I was no whore."

Marian sighed and allowed her eyes to close, swallowing hard. Raising a hand, she curled her fingers and examined her nails to keep from fidgeting as she spoke.

"So, I took to the bottle, heartbroken. William, my husband, didn't care very much. He was too busy with his family's business. They were moneylenders and the business needed a lot of attention. Besides, he had his heir, why should he care about what I did with myself? It was sundown when I went to my usual haunt, ready for my first drink, when a man stopped me at the door. I'd seen him around the city before, this was in Albrook mind you, but had never thought much of him. He was two years younger than I, but as handsome as a summer day. The man, Erikk, sat with me in the tavern, and asked me a thousand questions about myself, kind ones, unobtrusive, you know? I didn't think much of it, and it wasn't until much later that I realized I hadn't had a drink at all that evening. Over the next few weeks, we spent our evenings together in that tavern, just talking. He was a stable hand at the chocobo stable on the edge of town. It was a new one and it brought in a lot of money, but he was paid little. But somehow, before I knew it; I'd stopped drinking entirely."

Marian took another breath and rose from her chair, fetching a cup and filling it with water from the little bucket in the corner. She filled a second and brought it to Locke, brushing off his thanks. She took a few sips as she sat back down, gathering her thoughts once more.

"As time passed, I found myself looking forward to these visits like a mad woman, willing the day to pass with all my soul. And if he were late, I'd bite my nails and fear that he wouldn't come. But, he always did. It took me an age to figure out why my heart fluttered like a bird around him and why I dreamed of him as I held my son at night. I loved him. I went to visit him the day after I realized this, knowing that I had to stop seeing him. I was married, and it couldn't continue. But, when I got there, he was so happy to see me that I couldn't help myself, I told him everything. It all came out so fast, I didn't know what to do. I was so embarrassed that I was in tears. And then, he laughed at me, he laughed so hard that I turned and ran. But, by the time I stopped, I was out by the docks. I'd spent a lot of time in the little dive bars that had sprung up down there once the floating continent had come down, so naturally, my feet had taken me to a safe place. I had sat down in the shipyard to allow myself to cry, when Erikk ran down the dock. He had followed me by word of mouth. I was so angry with him that I tried to leave, but he wouldn't let me. He said that he'd been laughing because he'd been planning to say the same thing to me at the tavern that night. I didn't know what to do, I was so shocked that I didn't realize he was kissing me. The year after, Amaria was born. I was so happy, I just knew she was his, despite my husband's expectations of me in the bedroom. I was so happy to finally have my romance that I didn't notice when she started to look like Erikk. It was in her face, since she has my hair and eyes. William started to suspect, and asked me strange questions at first. Then, he started asking others, and soon he knew. He came home one night, drunker than dirt and demanded that I tell him the truth. So I told him."

Marian took another breath and focused on the table once more, her eyes glassy as she lost herself in the memory.

"He was so drunk that he lost himself in a rage. And when he hit me, I was terrified. I had grown up being told that women were supposed to be gentle and submissive so I panicked and couldn't protect myself. When I ran and locked myself in the children's room, he left. Not long after, there was shouting in the street. I went to the door as the fire brigade went past. My neighbor was out on her porch and when I asked what had happened, she said that one of the dock warehouses was on fire, with all the dockhands inside. My heart stopped and I knew Erikk was gone. That son of a bitch killed my Erikk, all because I was a stupid girl."

She leaned forward and dropped her face into her hands, her breath shaking. Locke jumped from his chair, suddenly horrified that he'd even asked. He should have known she'd cry, no matter what she'd said, he should have known. But, she brushed him off and continued.

"I knew I had to get out. If he could kill Erikk, he could kill me. William was a nice man; he wouldn't have done it if he wasn't drunk. I ran back inside to gather the children, I was taking them with me no matter what. They were my babies after all. I birthed them, not William. But, as we were bringing the bags out of the room, he was there. He saw them and he got angrier. I threw the kids into their room just as William broke open the china cabinet and broke our serving platter over the back of my head. I didn't realize what was happening until a dinner plate shattered across my face. I was bleeding so badly that I thought he'd broken my whole face. But, he hadn't. He kept hitting me with dishes as I tried to crawl beneath the table. I just didn't know what to do. But then, he stopped and was suddenly shouting in pain. When I looked, my Nestor was standing over him, a chair in his hands. He was shouting at William for hurting me. But William took the chair and beat my baby with it. Oh Goddess, he hurt my baby boy so bad, Locke. I thought he'd killed him. And Amaria was screaming in the open door, she was only five and had never seen violence beyond a spanking. And when Nestor was down, he went after her. She was only five! He hit her with a vase, not a big one, but to a five-year-old, it was huge. And then the screams got worse. He went after her because she wasn't his. And when I heard more glass break, something snapped in my brain, and I wasn't afraid anymore. He was attacking my children, and I was the only one who could save them. I got up and kicked the table over. It took me a minute to heave one of the legs off, it wasn't easy, but it was the first thing I saw. When I went into the room, Amaria had stuck herself under her bed and he was trying to overturn it. I hit him so hard he went down. And then, he was screaming. He kicked me in the stomach and I fell. Now, I've had my hair pulled before, but never so hard as when he picked me up by my scalp. He dragged me over to the big mirror in the dining room and threw me at it; front first. Then he was kicking me, and I grabbed his leg and bit it as hard as I could. He shook me off and I got up, realizing that I'd thrown up all over myself. It had ruined my favorite dress and it just made me angrier at him. I pulled another leg from the table and went after him again. I don't remember how many times I hit him. But when I stopped, he had no skull, and I could hear shouts coming up the street and my neighbor calling to the police brigade, begging them to help me. But, I was a murderer now and I wouldn't let them take me to prison, it would leave my children alone. So, I grabbed them and we ran out the back, covered in blood. I remember having to haul my poor Nestor by the shoulder. He was so sick from being hit with the chair. We ran out of the village and hid in the ghetto by the docks, watching them burn. We cleaned our faces with rainwater and the next day, we bought a ride on a merchant ship bound for Nikeah. Goddess bless them for not asking questions, but I'm certain a few of them knew who I was."

She stopped for a moment and rubbed hard at her face, looking to him with glassy eyes. A thin sheen of sweat had come over her face, catching the light from the lamps and shimmering faintly. With a sigh, she began again:

"The ship's doctor looked after us and thank the Goddess nothing was seriously wrong. But, after that, things were different with us. Nestor changed almost overnight. He got angry very fast and would hit people when he was upset with them. Amaria was afraid of everything, especially glass and would sob herself sick if I was out of her sight for too long. And the scars, I knew I was a branded woman when they formed. I hated myself. And to this day, I still believe that the Goddess has set aside a place for me in hell. But then, after a year, we found ourselves here, with this family. It was so hard for me to be around people. But, they didn't want my money, and they cleaned out a house for me, making us clothes and feeding us without asking for anything in return. But Nestor was so bad; I couldn't handle him. But, one day, I heard screaming in the square and I came out of the house to find Jacoby and Nestor beating the hell out of each other. Duane came out of nowhere and grabbed Nestor while Terra dove on Jacoby, tackling him full on and keeping him on the ground. Duane suddenly shouted and I turned in time to catch Nestor gnawing on his arm. But then, Duane reached out and slapped him so hard I thought he'd broken Nestor's neck. I was pissed, naturally, but as I started toward Duane, Katrin was on me, keeping me from killing Duane. And Duane was shouting at Nestor, cursing him for all the shit he'd been pulling since we'd arrived; tormenting the few chickens we had, bothering the sheep and throwing people around. And Nestor was sobbing and sick. But to my shock, he apologized. And then, Duane was hugging him, and Nestor just wouldn't let Duane go. And the day after, things changed. The three of us just suddenly changed. And now, Nestor is the shepherd and one of the most dependable among us. And look at me; I'm nothing of what I once was. I'm strong now, and I'm not afraid anymore. I still have trouble with men, but wouldn't you?"

Locke nodded and sighed himself, uncertain of what to say or do. The story wasn't an insane one. He'd seen men get drunk and go crazy a hundred times, and the violence wasn't that surprising. Marian may have been out of line for breaking her marital vows, but she was allowed to live her life, and having been married off so young it was a given that it would happen. But, what of Nestor's sudden change? The Nestor he knew was a great kid; friendly and quicker to laugh than to anger. And Amaria, she was so sweet if not a little stubborn. But she had no problems being away from her mother.

"So, they just had to be scared out of their funk?" He asked sheepishly, not knowing how to approach the subject. He was having trouble looking Marian in the face now that he knew the truth behind those scars. He thought she was lovely now, but he would have liked to know her then.

"Essentially, yes." She said, thoughtfully, her gaze wandering about the room as her eyes lost their glassiness. "They are children, Locke, and they must be punished when they do wrong. I just didn't know that it was okay to do so at the time. So, in a way, I ruined them. But, I don't see how this will help with Einon. We've no reason to punish him for anything other than his foul mouth, and that won't do very much."

"No, but at least I know what he's going through now." Locke replied with a sigh. "He's messed up in the head over this. He's been thrown for a loop and needs to be brought back to earth."

"Yes, but let's leave him alone for the rest of the day." Marian said, fixing him with a sturdy, stubborn gaze. "He's been through a lot."

"Deal." Locke conceded with a nod. "Deal."

--

Despite the tension of their conversation, Marian stayed beside Locke for the better portion of the day; an oddly comfortable quiet hovering over them. He was content to keep his mouth shut as he helped her set the table for lunch, ushering the children inside with a gentle upturn of his lips. But, even with this gentle feeling of comfort in Marian's presence, Locke's insides would churn whenever he caught a glimpse of the wayward Einon. He lost himself in the boy's awkward slouch and constant scowl. There was no doubt in his mind that the kid was withering away beneath the weight of his situation and he had to wonder how long it would be before Einon cracked.

Once again, the kid had hidden himself away behind Terra's house, curled up inside the bathhouse beside the stove. Terra had taken to hovering around the house, the Ragnarok at her waist and her face stern. Katrin had tried to usher her away from the house to keep her from pacing, but Terra had brushed her off like an insect. Annoyed, Katrin had left Terra alone, grumbling all the way back to her house. The air in the village had taken on a heavy feel and work on the rooftops had been postponed until Duane felt this mess with Holmes had blown over. Setzer had taken up a roost atop Duane's roof however, keeping a trained eye in the direction of Anthem, the only place Holmes and his men could come from.

It was shortly after mid afternoon that Setzer came down with a sigh, calling their nerves a waste. Duane disagreed but acknowledged that there was no reason for them to waste time waiting for an attack that wouldn't come that day. But, to Locke's surprise, the tension amid the adults switched from fear to nervous expectancy. They ate supper in the square again, the evening air too comfortably warm to stay inside. Terra picked at her food, as usual, but her gaze strayed to the edge of the village once more, her eyes glittering in the light of the falling sun. Valda frowned at her across the small table they kept for outdoor meals, her eyes dark with annoyance. She opened her mouth to berate the half-esper at least twice, but nothing ever came out.

After supper, Marian and Katrin ushered the children inside early, much to the kids chagrin. Once the complaints of the children quieted for the evening, Marian retreated from Katrin's house, standing on the porch until Duane dropped the normally unused bracing bar into place on the other side. She came up the hill in time to join Locke and Terra at the bathhouse behind Terra's little home, standing aside as Terra tried to coax Einon into her house for the evening. The kid was surprisingly quiet, much to Locke's relief, but tucked himself behind the cast iron stove, his eyes bright with fear. Terra gave up with a sigh, slipping into her house to retrieve a blanket, pillow and lantern. She left them just inside the bathhouse door, giving Einon one last look before shutting the door for the night.

Locke set a hand on her shoulder as she rubbed at her temples, fighting off what was bound to be one hell of a headache. She blinked up at him, the corners of her lips turning up faintly.

"You okay?" He asked, his voice soft.

"Yes, I'll be fine." Terra replied with a sigh. "But I'm running out of ideas."

"Terra, I don't think there's anything we can do." Marian muttered, her voice fragile in the cooling air. Terra sighed again as Marian motioned them away from the little hut and around the side of the house, out of earshot.

"Look," The scarred woman continued, her hand worrying at each other. "If he keeps acting like this, I won't stand to have him here. It's just too much.

"Marian, he has nowhere to go." Terra started, her eyes wide. "And he can't be more than thirteen."

"Exactly Terra. He's a young man, not a little boy." Marian whispered, her eyes harsh in the light coming out through a little window in the side of the house. "He can go back to Anthem and find work in the fields or in the stables."

"What about Holmes?" Locke questioned, not certain how he should feel about the conversation.

"It's none of our business." Marian replied, looking to him. "Meddling with this will just bring trouble we can't afford to have."

"Marian I…"

"No Terra," Marian ground out, her hands clutching into fists. "Don't go all mother hen on me. I understand how hard it is. But, with his attitude, keeping him here will just be more harm than good. We have enough to worry about as is and we can't afford to be chasing after someone who takes our food but treats us like trash. I won't stand for it. And the worst part is…Valda and Katrin agree."

"They do? But…" Terra's face fell and she dropped her gaze to the ground, clasping a hand at her breast. "I can't just turn him away."

"Terra, we have no choice." Marian grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. We've done everything we can already."

"Enough." Locke broke in, cutting Terra off as she started to reply. "Let's take a breath before somebody gets mad. This isn't a conversation that needs to happen right now, we're all too tired for it."

He took a breath as the two looked at him, eyes wide from his interruption.

"You're both right. Terra, he can't stay if he's not going to help. How long to you think it'll be before Duane or Canaan pulverizes him for his mouth? Marian, give the kid a chance. No one has done anything except try to coddle him. Einon is not a little boy. You saw the look on his face when Setzer grumbled at him; and maybe that's what we need to do as well."

"We need to get angry with him?" Marian questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I think he needs to get in trouble and have someone react. Fighting with Terra at least got him into a bath; imagine what would happen if he got his ass handed to him for mouthing off." Locke replied, a smirk curling his lips.

"Locke, he's a bit big for a spanking." Terra replied, crossing her arms and cocking a hip.

"I doubt a spanking would do very much even if he was younger." Marian muttered, raising a hand to brush her hair back from her face. "He needs a beating."

"Will everyone just stop with the whipping and beating talk?" Terra growled through her teeth, her body suddenly stiff with anger. "I refuse to hear it. We do not beat children in Mobliz. It doesn't straighten out a child it just turns them into awful adults."

Marian dropped her gaze at Terra's anger, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Locke frowned and shifting his weight from foot to foot, feeling rather foolish. But, he couldn't blame her for her anger, they knew better than to say anything of the sort around her; especially Marian.

"Ooh, damn it." Terra rumbled, raising a hand to rub at her temples once more, her shoulders slumping. "I'm too tired for this. Just drop it. We can deal with this tomorrow."

"She's right." Locke sighed and rubbed at the back of his neck, trying to fight off a headache of his own. "No one is in the mood for this right now and fighting will only make it worse."

The two cast their gaze to the ground, a faint blush coloring both of their faces.

"And besides," He continued with a roguish smirk. "The only way I want to see you two fight is in the mud and preferably barely dressed."

Terra squeaked, her hands flying to her mouth as her blush deepened at his statement. Marian's jaw dropped and she scoffed, turning a half annoyed eye to him. The woman swatted at him as he laughed raucously, bending and curling his arms about his head.

"Oh you horrible man!" Marian growled, ramming an elbow into his side. She grumbled when he just gripped at his side and laughed harder.

"Hey, come on. Can you blame me?" Locke placated between his calming laughter.

"Well, I can try." The scarred woman sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. She turned a glare to Terra who had started to chuckle during the exchange. Terra smiled softly at the two of them as she laid an arm over her lower belly, her fingers trying to massage away some unannounced pain.

"Come on, enough is enough." The half-esper said softly. "Let's get to bed, before we all kill each other."

"And before the bruises appear." Locke groaned, rubbing at his elbowed side.

"Oh, blah blah blah your needs!" Marian laughed, throwing her hands into the air.

"Damn right…"Locke mumbled as he started off towards the door. He was already tugging his boots off to step inside when he noticed that the two women had not followed. There were hushed voices around the edge of the house, indicating that the two of them were still there. But, why? Had they started arguing again?

"Terra?" He asked, his voice fragile in the chilling air.

"Be right there." She called from around the side of the house, her voice tight.

A few more hushed words were passed between the two before they appeared. They exchanged a quick embrace and a kiss to each cheek before bidding each other goodnight.

"Is everything alright?" Locke asked as Terra came to him, her eyes downcast as she tugged off her shoes.

"Yes," She replied softly, turning a weak gaze to him. "We were talking about starting on the roofs tomorrow. We can't wait another day. "

"Yeah, okay." He said, straightening as he dropped his boot into the dust. "Now, why don't you tell me what's really going on."

"What do you mean?" She asked, setting her shoes just inside the door. Straightening, she turned to look to him, her eyes veiled.

"Oh please, Terra." Locke scoffed, a frown on his lips. He wasn't going to play this game. Not now. Not with all the stress of the passed few days hanging over their heads. "You know I'm not stupid so please don't pretend I am. The whole village is worked up over something, and it's not Einon. So, spill it."

"Locke…" She trailed off, taking a step back. Her hands knotted together in her long skirt, the action causing the Ragnarok to shuffle about at her hip, its jeweled hilt flashing in the dim light of the lantern by the open door. "It's just the rains. We're really pushing it for time here. The summer rains are coming."

"Yeah, right." Locke scoffed, his frustration with her turning to anger. If that was the way she wanted to play, fine. "Look, when you're ready to tell me what's got you so worked up, you let me know. But, it's not the rains you're worried about, and lying to me about it won't get you anywhere but on my bad side."

With that, he turned away from her, his heart pounding in his chest. His ribs ached as he stepped into the house, catching a glimpse of her furrowed brow and hurt eyes. He didn't look at her as she followed him into the house, blowing out the candle outside before closing the door. He took up his place on the sofa in silence, a twinge of guilt gripping his heart as she heaved the dusty bracing bar into place across the door. He should have done that for her.

Terra was silent as she blew out the candles about the room, keeping one lit to guide her in the darkness. She paused by Jacoby's door, listening within to ensure that Setzer was in the house. Apparently satisfied, she made for her dark bedroom, pausing at the door; she turned a last look to Locke. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as he tossed his bandanna and vest beneath the sofa and shrugged out of his shirt. He leaned forward on the sofa, bracing his elbows against his knees, not sure of what to say or do. But, she slipped into the room before he could get his thoughts together, leaving his heart aching as she exchanged a few words with a tired Jacoby. A moment later, the candle went out and he was left alone with his thoughts in the dark.

_Goddess…we're idiots…_

_--_

**Six years, four days, seventeen hours, eighteen minutes after the death of Kefka Palazzo.**

Locke grumbled and rolled onto his side, pressing his face into the back of the sofa. He grumbled sleepily as the sound that woke him continued. An annoying scratching, picking away at the front door. It took a moment for him to notice the deep huffing that accompanied the random scratching. Suddenly awake, he rolled onto his back, raising his hands to rub hard at his tired eyes.

Reaching beneath the sofa, he took hold of his travel belt, comforted by the weight of the heavy leather. He fumbled at it with one hand, pulling his dirk free from its sheath. With the blade safely in hand, he brushed the blanket off his shoulder. Locke took a breath, holding it as he sat up, lowering his feet to the chilled floor as quietly as he could. As he stood, the scratching at the door paused and a faint growl pressed its way through the door. The deepness of that growl, despite its faintness, caused a cold sweat to break out across his flesh.

No common animal could growl like that. It had to be some kind of dog, a large one if the depth of that growl was any indication.

Tucking this new knowledge aside, Locke slowly pushed himself to his feet, keeping one hand out for guidance in the darkness. The huffing at the door paused mid-breath, the scratching going still. He sucked in a breath and turned an eye towards what he hoped was the door, but in the darkness, he had no way of knowing. In an instant the silence broke. The animal on the other side of the door reared and planted its paws up at the top of the door, rattling the wood in its frame. Locke gasped as the animal clawed at the top of the door; it's huffing still inquisitive.

The damn thing had to be huge. A dire hound at least. Terra kept an axe beside the hearth, if he could find his way to it; he'd have a much better chance of fighting it if it broke through the door. He blinked in the darkness, throwing his gaze about for any trace of light. The dim glow of the dying embers in the hearth caught his attention instantly. He bit his lip and tightened his grip on his dirk. He waited patiently, timing the clawing and huffs till he found one loud enough to mask his movement.

But as he started to move, the door to Terra's bedroom threw open with a bang. Locke jolted so hard he swore he'd broken something, but the sudden shock of Terra forcefully brushing him aside and stuffing a lit candle into his hands made him brush that thought away. He shook himself, watching in a daze as the barely dressed woman shot for the door, her hands moving to heave the bracing bar out of its nest over the door.

"What the…?! Terra! Stop!" Locke started. He fumbled the candle down onto the coffee table and raced for her, mindful of the dirk in his hand. He grabbed her just as she started to lift the bar, throwing an arm about her slim figure and drawing her back. Terra struggled, pressing the heels of her palms into his forearm and shoving it away with a force he didn't expect. She pressed a foot against his knee and pushed it back, stiffing his leg painfully. He grunted and let her go, growling as she raced for the door again.

"What in Goddess' name?" Setzer demanded, opening his door. He stood in the frame, rubbing at the back of his head as he watched the two scuffle. But when the animal at the door started huffing and growling again, his eyes widened and he shot across the room to grab at Terra's wrists.

"No! Let go! They need to get inside." Terra growled, grabbing at Setzer's powerful hand as he pulled her back.

"They? Doll face, the bar is over the door for a reason." Locke said, astounded by her reaction.

"Who's out there Terra?" Setzer asked, his eyes narrowing.

"It's okay." She said suddenly, her thin frame sagging. "You know them. Just let me open the door. It's cold out there."

Setzer shook his head but released her. Locke stared at Setzer, mouth agape as he allowed Terra to return to removing the bar from the door. The gambler turned an even gaze to him, his face hard as he prepared his bladed deck of cards for a possible fight. There was a heavy thump as the bracing bar fell aside. Terra unhooked the latch on the door, but before she could open it herself, the animal, who was still braced against it, pushed it open almost violently. Terra backed away as Jacoby ran past them to join her, a thick blanket in his hands.

Terra's face was white in the light of the candle as a great hulking shadow sulked into the room, the floorboards creaking beneath its massive paws. Locke backed away as the beast raised its head to sniff the air in the silent living room. The animal rumbled deep in its chest before coming fully into the house and, to Locke's unimaginable shock, sat down in front of Jacoby, its tail moving back and forth hopefully on the floorboards.

"Hi boy," Jacoby said gently, a broad smile on his fine face as he knelt before the great canine, offering up the blanket. The dog stood again and allowed Jacoby to drape the blanket over him and give him a good rub down. Beside him, Setzer started as the animal's face was revealed when the blanket shifted aside.

"Son of a…Interceptor?!"

"What?" Locke cried, coming to stand beside the gambler. "That's impossible."

Locke's heart hitched in his breast as he shifted across the floor to stand beside the gambler, focusing down on the great animal. But, even as he struggled to believe it, Interceptor shook his massive head and turned an intelligent brown eye to him, the edges of his long muzzle drawn up into a canine's satisfied smile. But, it wasn't possible. Interceptor had remained on Kefka's tower as it collapsed six years ago. There was no way he or his master could have escaped the wreckage alive. The dog huffed at Locke and shook himself again, rubbing his face into Jacoby's hand before looking back towards the still open front door.

Terra stood in the doorway, gazing out into the darkness, her hands braced against the frame. A wind that was indeed much colder than Locke would have thought blew in past her, ruffling the little nightdress she wore. Locke moved to draw her back inside and out of the cold when she backed away from the door of her own accord. She took slow steps back, never taking her eyes from the open frame, wrapping her thin arms about herself for warmth. There came a twin pair of heavy thumps as a pair of black boots fell to the floor just inside the door, before their black clad owner came through behind them.

"Shadow…" Locke gasped as the candlelight the silent ninja.

The man raised his head at the sound of Locke's voice, his blue painted eyes narrowing at the sight of both he and Setzer. He shifted his gaze to Jacoby and Terra, carefully setting his pack down on the floor beside the coffee table. Raising a hand, Shadow reached for the lacings about his face covering, carefully pulling the fabric away from his face. Beside Locke, Terra gasped and raised her hands to wave Shadow off from revealing his face.

"Shadow, don't…"

"There are rules in your house, good woman." Shadow said, his deep voice soft in the chill air. "I am not exempt from following them just because you have a few visitors."

Terra sighed and cast her gaze down, her brow furrowed. Shadow pulled his mask from his face with ease, setting it aside on the sofa. But, try as Locke might, he couldn't discern much of the face in the dim candle light, he could only be certain of the blue smear of paint across the man's eyes.

"Well, at least come in out of the cold." Terra sighed. She bustled away from them, taking up the poker and setting it into the embers glowing in the hearth. "Let me get a kettle on."

Locke watched, dumbfounded, as Shadow closed and barred the door once more. The ninja bent and stuffed his pack further beneath the table and patted absently at his hip. Interceptor's ears perked up and the animal turned away from Jacoby and sat patiently at his master's feet. Freed from the dog's attention, Jacoby took the candle and started about the room, lighting the lamps. As the living room filled with the soft light from the lamps, Locke cast another glance towards Shadow; his curiosity peaked now that he had enough light to see. The man set a hand atop the canine's head as he sat on the arm of the sofa, turning a blue painted eye to the mussed blanket beside him.

Of all the things he'd ever imagined he'd find beneath Shadow's mask, what he was met with was nothing he'd ever expected. The man was dark of skin, the rich luxurious brown of the far southern islands, and the face to match. Despite the man's reputation, the shape of Shadow's face and the fine, warm, color to his skin gave him the look of one who would be very amiable upon first approach. His wide nose and strong chin made for a handsome face, one much older than Locke would have originally guessed. Was this why the man covered his face?

"There will be plenty of time to stare at me later, thief." Shadow grumbled, his voice low as he turned his dark gaze to Locke.

Locke straightened, his face growing hot as he turned his gaze away. With a sigh, he muttered an apology to the ninja and bent, retrieving his shirt from beneath the sofa. Slipping it on, he took a seat at the dining table, tossing a glance at Setzer. The gambler gazed back at him; his ghostly eyes cool despite the strangeness of the situation. He raised a hand to brush a stray lock of mussed silver back over his shoulder as he took a seat beside Locke at the table.

"I must say," The gambler started, plucking absently at his shirt as he turned his gaze to the ninja. "I'm glad to find you alive."

Shadow looked across the room at Setzer but said nothing. He nodded faintly then turned his gaze to the hearth where Terra was just putting the kettle beside the now roaring fire. Jacoby chewed his lip as he looked between them. Reaching into a cupboard, he pulled down a large bowl and filled it with the rest of the water out of the bucket, setting it on the floor for Interceptor. The dog went to the young man's side, his tail shifting back and forth amiably as he bent over the bowl and drank.

"To what do we owe the honor?" Setzer asked, his voice light as he smirked at the quiet man.

"Shadow comes every year at this time." Terra said softly, keeping her back to them as she tugged half a loaf of bread down from a cabinet and set it by the fire to warm.

"Is that what you've all been waiting for?" Locke asked suddenly, incredulous.

This? This was what Terra had been so nervous about? But, how could she? How could anyone look forward to someone so dark and brooding coming around? It was nonsense!

"Yes, it's true." She replied, turning a tiny smile to him over her shoulder. "Much more now though; what with Holmes bothering us."

"Bothering you?" Shadow interjected, turning his eyes to the woman at the hearth.

"Yes." Terra sighed, directing Jacoby to pull mugs down from the cupboard. "We have a new young man with us. But, he has a bit of damage following him around."

"A bit?" Setzer scoffed. "I don't call a gang chasing you around to be a 'bit of damage.' He's a pain in the ass, Terra."

"Is this the boy in the bathhouse?" Shadow inquired, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yes, that's Einon." Jacoby said softly, tossing a glance out the tiny kitchen window.

"Why is he not in bed with the others?"

Locke sighed as Terra and Jacoby informed the ninja of the situation. To his credit, Shadow was not pleased with the kid's behavior either. Locke propped an elbow on the tabletop and rested his cheek in his palm, watching quietly as the discussion changed to settle Setzer's curiosity as to the ninja's presence.

It seemed that Shadow arrived every year to aid in repairing the houses for the fall and winter. Because the ninja had never had any interest in keeping ties with the Returners, Terra had held her tongue on his survival. Apparently, once the tower had started to break apart, Shadow had taken shelter in a hollow beside one of the tower's main supports and simply waited out the collapse. He'd broken his shoulder, and left hip but was found by the rescue party out of Albrook within a day. Once he'd healed, he'd taken up being a mercenary once more and was doing very well for himself. At least, that's how it came across to Locke.

But Shadow's life after the fall was not as interesting to Locke as the state Interceptor was in. The great beast of a dog that sat at his master's feet had not aged a day in six years. For a dog Interceptor's size, his muzzle should have been almost white at this point. But, the rich caramel at each of the dog's points remained as brilliant as it had been when Locke first laid eyes on the animal. And what was strange, was his musculature was as large and strong as it had been the day Kefka had fallen.

"I do not blame you." Shadow said, breaking Locke's train of thought. Locke raised his gaze to find the dark-skinned man gazing at him steadily as he accepted a damp towel from Jacoby. He rubbed the paint from his face, leaving the towel mostly blue, before continuing. "Interceptor is not a typical hound."

"Yes, I was just thinking about that." Setzer commented, leaning back in his chair and propping an elbow up on the table. "I swear; he hasn't changed."

"He has. He's slimmed down since you last saw him. But only because he's been doing much more running than fighting." Shadow explained quietly, turning to face them fully.

"But, why hasn't he aged?" Locke asked, eying the dog.

"He's only half hound." Shadow continued. "There's no way of knowing what his other half is. I suspect that the other half is a dire hound. At least, that's what his size dictates."

"To be honest, I though he was a dire hound when he came in." Locke said with a shrug. "Where'd you get him anyway?"

Terra laughed suddenly from her place at the hearth. Blushing, she swallowed her chuckles and began pouring steaming tea into the gathered mugs. She apologized for her outburst as she handed the tea out to grateful hands and set the loaf out onto the coffee table.

"What's so funny?" Setzer asked, raising an eyebrow at her as he sipped his tea.

"Oh, it's not my place to say." Terra smiled, glancing at Shadow.

"Terra finds the way I came across Interceptor to be amusing." The ninja explained. "I didn't buy him. I found him in a garbage pit in South Figaro several years ago. He was a pup then and had gotten stuck in the pile. I pulled him out and gave him a bit of jerky. I thought nothing of it at the time, but then he started following me. I had no real desire to be rid of him, so I kept him. It's most likely the best decision I've ever made."

"So cute." Terra giggled, curling a hand at her breast. She tugged absently at the hem of her nightdress as though she just realized that she was hardly dressed. "Excuse me just a moment."

Locke and Setzer chuckled as she retreated into her bedroom, coming out a moment later in a robe. She took a seat on the sofa beside Shadow, throwing the blanket over her lap as she tucked her legs up onto the cushions as she motioned for Jacoby to join her. The group sat in a comfortable silence for a moment, just sipping at their tea and tearing bits from the loaf.

"Have repairs begun yet?" Shadow asked, breaking the silence.

"No, the gang after Einon set us back yesterday." Setzer answered plainly, staring down into his mug.

"Ah, yes. Tell me about this 'gang' of yours."

"They're small time, once you get a good look at them." Locke shrugged, running a hand through his hair. "Their boss has a debt with Einon's parents that he intends to take out of the kid's hide. They came in yesterday morning and harassed Terra. They know he's here and their boss said he wouldn't back off until we gave him up."

"Ah, and I'm guessing that's not an option."

" 'fraid not." Locke shrugged.

"He's nothing we can't handle." Terra said softly from her place on the sofa, gazing down into her mug.

"No, he isn't. But, we don't know how far he'll take this." Jacoby stated, leaning forward on the cushions.

"I don't think he'll make it a fight." Terra scoffed, her knuckles turning white around her earthenware mug. "I don't think he's stupid."

"Maybe not, mother." Jacoby crooned, rubbing at her bent knee. "But, it's a possibility that we can't ignore. I say that tomorrow, we get to work on the roofs but stay armed and keep the kids close."

"I have to agree." Setzer stated over Terra's soft grumbling. "And for the next few days, or at least until this blows over."

"Just turn the boy over." Shadow said simply. "There's no point in calling unnecessary trouble to the village."

"Turn him over? Shadow, we don't know what they plan to do with them." Terra interjected, her eyes wide as she looked up at the ninja.

"It's not our place to step into this child's life." The ninja replied. "And who's to say they'll do something horrible to him?"

"I well…"

"Exactly." The ninja's voice was firm. "If this Einon is everything you say he is. Just turn him over if they come seeking him again. It's not worth the trouble."

Terra groaned and took a gulp of her tea, leaning back into the sofa. Locke shook his head as she pouted, a faint smirk curling his lips. She could fight this all she wanted, but the village was decided. The kid had to go. Unless, by some miracle, things changed with him tomorrow, Einon was gone.

--

Hope was crying.

Quite loudly and incessantly; and of course right in Locke's ear.

"It's gone!" She wailed, burying her face in his chest while he rubbed at her back.

"I see that." Locke grumbled, resting his cheek atop her head as she continued to wail. He bounced her as gently as he could on his hip, trying to get her to stop crying, but she just kept screaming. How her parents handled this, he'd never know.

"B-but, she can't take it if it's gone!"

"Hope, it's okay. You'll have more teeth to give the tooth fairy soon enough."

"B-but I wanted to give her this one too!"

"Oh sweet Goddess, have mercy…" He sighed as she continued to sob. Apparently, Hope had lost a tooth sometime after breakfast, but had no idea when or where it disappeared to. And, of course, it was the end of the world.

"Give her time. She'll settle down soon."

Locke looked over his shoulder to find Katrin coming up the hill, a bucket of water in each hand and a broad smile on her face. She came to stand before him, the wind pulling strands of her wheat colored hair free from her braid and tossing them about. He turned to face her; his brow furrowed with strain as the little girl on his hip pressed her face into his chest again and wiped her dripping nose on his vest.

"Ugh, Hope." Katrin groaned, cringing at the mess the girl left behind. "Must you?"

"I don't want to look." Locke groaned, turning his gaze skywards.

"It's not that bad." Katrin chuckled. She reached into a pocket on her apron and pulled a handkerchief from within. Smiling, she wiped the smear from Locke's vest before catching her still crying daughter's head in one hand and making quick work of her runny nose.

"Now you stop it, young lady." She scolded lightly, though she made no move to take Hope from Locke's arms. "The sun is shining and the sky is blue, it is not the end of the world. What happened?"

"We lost a tooth without realizing it. And now we have no tooth to give the fairy." Locke explained, rubbing the little girl's back again. "Katrin, she's driving me nuts."

"Deal with it." Katrin said, cocking a hip and offering him a smirk. "All kids are like this. Hope, the fairy is merciful. Trust me, I've lost enough teeth in my life to know that."

"Merfifull?"

"Yes, she is. But, I'm not." Katrin continued, brushing tear soaked hair away from Hope's red face. "Now, little miss drama queen. It's time to smile and let it go, or you're going to scrub the floors with Alan and Ava. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Mommy." Hope hiccupped, fresh tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes. She pressed her face into Locke's vest again and sniffed, but otherwise she did not sob.

"Wait a minute." Locke interjected, surprised by how fast the girl quieted. "You can punish her for crying?"

"Oh yes. But only when it's just drama." Katrin chuckled. "This isn't the first time this has happened. And this little one will go into hysterics over anything."

"Huh…" Locke muttered, looking down into Hope's halo of curls for a moment before resting his cheek atop her head once more.

"Thanks for taking care of it. I really appreciate it." Katrin smiled, setting a hand on Locke's shoulder in gratitude.

"Hey, everyone needs a break from their kids once in a while." Locke shrugged. "Oh, hey. I've been meaning to ask you. A few months back, you told me that only one other person would stay for an extended period of time. Did you mean Shadow?"

"Yes, I did." The woman smiled, her lovely face lighting up at the fact that he'd remembered their conversation. "He only comes to stay in the summer, and for about a month. Terra was going batty this time though; he's about a week late. She'd expected him to be here before she got back from Figaro. And to be honest, so were we."

"I can't see how anyone could be so excited about having someone so…so...hmm…"

"About having someone so quiet and creepy around?" She questioned. A chuckle escaped her when he blushed and nodded to the affirmative. "I don't know, really. We just are. It's not like he bursts out of his shell or anything. He doesn't mind the kids, believe it or not, but then he doesn't do very much with them. It's like he just comes for us grown ups. He makes good conversation when he feels like talking and he seems to enjoy helping around the houses. When he's here, it's not uncommon to walk into your house and find him fixing something. He scared Valda half to death the first year she was here. Oh heavens, that was funny."

Locke chuckled and bounced Hope once more, relaxing now that her cries had dissolved away and her hiccups had just about passed. The girl poked at his side and motioned to be let down. He released her, gladly, and straightened, pressing his hands into the small of his back to stretch the bunched up muscles.

"Good Goddess, she's getting heavy." He commented, watching as the little girl walked slowly down the hill, clutching her bunny to her as she watched the other children run about.

"That's a good thing." Katrin sighed, watching her go. "She's been so little for so long, I was getting worried."

Hope took off down the hill suddenly, leaving her stuffed rabbit in the dust as she went to join a newly forming game. With a sigh, her mother went to pick up the battered toy, holding it to her chest as she watched the knot of children run about the little village square. She chuckled and stuffed the rabbit into the large pocket on the front of her apron, muttering about cleaning it later.

"So, How's Terra doing?" The woman asked, turning back to him with a smile. "Is she going to have a shiner?"

"No, he missed her eye." Locke sighed. "But she'll have a nice bruise on her cheek by the end of the day."

That morning, Terra had gone out to fetch Einon out of the bathhouse. He'd been reluctant of course, but she hadn't expected any sort of a fight and had gone alone. It was easy enough for her to get inside, but once she told him to come out for breakfast, he'd flown of the handle. Valda had apparently heard the kid start flinging curses and had run up the hill in time to see Terra fend off a hurled bucket. At this new sign of uncontrolled rage, the two women had jumped on Einon, bodily dragging him out of the bathhouse. He'd thrashed and Terra had caught a flying elbow to the face. Valda said that Terra had grabbed him and rolled him over her shoulder into the dust so hard she'd hear his spine realign. After that, he'd run off and hidden himself away somewhere, missing breakfast entirely.

"Have you seen Einon anywhere yet?" Locke inquired, rubbing at his tear-streaked chin.

"Yes, he's sulking around in the stable now…" Katrin sighed, gripping her elbow in thought. "I'm telling you though. Now that he's gotten violent. I won't stand for him anymore. We're having a meeting about it after dinner tonight. I'd like it if you and Setzer came. You've both been here for the bulk of his nonsense, and I know the others would appreciate your input."

"I'll talk to Setzer about it. But, kids aren't his thing." Locke replied thoughtfully.

"Well, we can try." She sighed. "All right you. Back to work. Only the hooligans eat for free around here, and not much longer at that."

Locke chuckled as she started back down the hill, heading toward Valda's house, most likely to retrieve her son or find something else to do. He watched her go with a smile, absently rubbing at the wet patch on his vest. Turning, he looked across the square to Marian's house, where Shadow and Setzer were scuttling across the roof while Jacoby called measurements and handed them materials from the top of a ladder. Next door, Duane was starting to carry supplies up to the top of the porch of his home, calling down to Terra and Canaan as they dragged more materials out of the storage shed and into the square.

Starting down the hill, Locke tucked his hands into his pockets, his mind whirlwind of confusion as to what to do with Einon. He didn't like the idea of tossing the kid out of the village or turning him over to Holmes; but what could they do? The village couldn't afford to support someone who could take perfectly good care of himself as it was. The fact that he didn't choose to do so was not their problem.

Terra smiled at him as she set a stack of wood planks down into the dust. Her eyes were bright despite the growing bruise on her cheek. He had to frown, however, at the red spots cresting her cheekbone. He whacked her a good one, even if it was in a misplaced panic. She came to him, her brow furrowed.

"Are you all right?" She asked, tossing her emerald braid over her shoulder. A cool breeze whipped through the square, fluttering her heavy cloak about her thin form as she set a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, just pissed at Einon for knocking you around." He replied, his frown deepening. He set a hand atop hers, drawing it away from his shoulder, and keeping a light grip on it.

She chuckled faintly and squeezed his fingers, her amethyst eyes bright.

"It's all right. I should have known better." She said gently. "He's out of control."

"Yeah." Locke agreed, hunching his shoulders. "I wish I knew what to do, Terra. But I…"

"What you need to do is stop worrying. And get up on a roof and have some fun." She laughed, releasing his hand and poking him in the ribs. He squawked and backed away, rubbing at his side, where she poked him. "It'll work itself out."

Terra smiled again and came forward, raising her hands to his face. He blushed as she went up on the tips of her toes and pressed a kiss to his forehead. A faint smile tugged at his lips as she came back down, keeping her hands on his face. But, her hands were cold and his smile faded as he looked into her too thin face. Sure, she'd put on weight, but the others were right. She still looked terrible.

He got a grip on her hands and pulled them gently away from his face, his heart heavy in his chest. Terra's brow furrowed as she looked up at him, her lips parted as her eyes darkened. Locke's shoulder's sagged at the look in her eyes. He could tell that she thought he was still angry with her. But, the truth was that he was just angry at the situation now, not with her stubbornness. But, he just didn't know how to say that to her. She sighed, breaking his thoughts as she dropped her gaze sadly, her thin frame exuding heartbreak. His heart heavy, Locke released one of her hands and placed a knuckle beneath her chin, gently raising it so he could catch her eyes once more. He mustered a tiny smile, hoping that would convey what he was thinking and feeling. The tiny smile that found her pale lips was comforting.

"I...uh...heh." He stammered softly, fighting for something to say. But those sparkling eyes kept letting thoughts escape his grasp. "Where uh…where should I help?"

"If you could go replace Setzer, we'd be grateful." Terra replied softly, releasing his hands. She took a step back, wrapping her arms about herself, and his hands ached for her touch. "He did most of the measurements on Duane's house and we could use him there."

"Y-yeah. Sure." He muttered dumbly. His heart suddenly beating hard in his chest as he turned away and made for Marian's house to do as Terra had asked.

Jacoby smiled at him as he came to the base of the ladder, his face still red. Locke explained the situation and the young man called to Setzer and dropped to the ground. The gambler was down a moment later, his almost constant smirk on his lips as he caught Locke's gaze. The treasure hunter dropped his gaze as he started up the ladder, keeping his eyes off the gambler. There had been something in that smirk that set Locke's heart beating harder.

A blessedly cool wind raced across the rooftop as he crested the ladder, sending his light cotton shirt tumbling about him, drying the sweat-dampened fabric. Shadow didn't look at Locke as he scrambled up onto the rooftop. The ninja kept his gaze on the roofing tile he was laying out, positioning it expertly before spreading straw atop the flat surface, layering it in a traditional thatch style. Locke kept his mouth shut as he crawled across the bare roof, creeping to the straw bale Setzer had been using. He reached into the small bale and tugged a generous handful from within, laying it out as best he could. He felt inadequate next to Shadow's adept spreading of the straw. The way the man worked showed just how long he'd been coming Mobliz. He must have started coming in the first year after the fall of Kefka. But, it still bothered Locke that no one else had known of the ninja's survival. He knew he would have been glad to at least have known. The ninja may make him nervous, but that didn't mean that he didn't count the man as at least a pleasant acquaintance. But then, just because you traveled across the globe and saved the world with someone didn't mean that you had to like a particular person. Setzer was the biggest example of that fact. There were very few of the Returners whose company Setzer actually enjoyed.

"You're life has changed…"

Locke wasn't sure Shadow had spoken for a moment. The ninja kept his gaze on the straw he was thatching together, his cloud of silence hanging over him once more.

"Pardon?" Locke questioned, blinking at the man.

"Your life…it's changed hasn't it?" Shadow asked, keeping his eyes down. "You are much different than I remember you."

"What do you mean?"

"You seem unhappy." The ninja stated, taking a second to look up at the treasure hunter. "Like you are lost. My guess is that things went poorly with the general."

"No, no. Things are fine with Celes. We have a house in Kohlingen." Locke reassured, dropping his gaze to the straw.

"Ah, but no marriage or children."

"How do you know that?" Locke asked, surprised by the statement.

"If you had those things, you wouldn't be here alone. And you wouldn't look at the esper the way you do." The ninja kept his voice down, tossing a glance in the direction of the ladder. When Locke looked over, Jacoby blinked back at him, a blush on his pale face. The young man tugged his hood down over his eyes and vanished down the ladder, giving them the moment of privacy.

"Again, what do you mean?"

"At least your density hasn't changed." Shadow muttered behind his mask. "If things were going so well with your woman, you wouldn't turn into the fool when Terra smiles at you."

"I don't…" But Locke couldn't finish the denial, because what Shadow had said was true. He had been feeling foolish around Terra lately. She'd smile and his heart would bounce and he'd find himself blushing or stumbling all over himself. What could he possibly say to Shadow when he was so bluntly faced with the truth? But, the way he felt about Terra didn't mean anything. It couldn't. He was just happy to see her alive. After what had happened in Figaro, just seeing her breathing was a relief

With nothing to say, he returned to laying the straw over the tiles, his face red. He kept his head down, unwilling to look at the ninja. But, Terra's laugh suddenly rang out over the rooftops, drawing his attention away from his work. He found her atop Katrin's house, her emerald hair flashing beneath her hood. She sat at the highest point, laying out tiles as she laughed. Setzer crouched beside her on the roof, grinning at her as he spoke, his words keeping her laughing. Down by the porch, Canaan began to laugh as well, calling back to them.

"You can go to them." Shadow said suddenly, keeping his head down.

"No, I won't leave you to do this alone." Locke replied, tearing his eyes away from the still laughing Terra.

"It's no trouble." The ninja stated. "Besides, you need to spend time with her while you still can."

"While I still can?" Locke scoffed, throwing a glare at the black clad man. "She doesn't have a time limit on her, Shadow."

"You don't know that." Shadow replied, his voice quiet. "She's not well, thief."

"So she's a little thin. It's not a death sentence."

"No, her weight isn't. But there are other signs." Shadow explained, finally looking at Locke. "But, I consider an abdominal hemorrhage to be quite the warning sign."

"What?!" Locke started, shocked. "How do you know about that?"

"Terra told me this morning." The ninja answered, turning his attention back to the rooftop. "Setzer said there had been some sort of medical emergency concerning her and I inquired. She was reluctant, but she said she'd already spoken with Setzer about it and told me. I am not pleased with this situation."

"Okay, so she's sick. That doesn't mean she's dying." Locke shrugged, his heart pounding in his chest.

"No, but it means she has the sickness."

"Don't talk about that!" Locke hissed, dropping the tile he'd been laying. He glared at the ninja, suddenly hating him. How dare he even suggest it!?

"If I don't, no one will." Shadow replied calmly, frowning behind his mask. "It's time to stop ignoring it."

"Fine." Locke snarled. "You go ahead and believe that. But, I'm not taking her out of Mobliz. If you want to take that course, you know where Figaro is. Edgar would be glad to have you."

"Close your mouth you fool." Shadow growled, his eyes hard. "You don't want me to mention the sickness then don't you dare talk about removing her from this village. I will not allow you fools to kill her faster."

"Whoa, whoa." Locke jumped, his hands out before him in a placating manner. His heart raced at the sheer disgust in the ninja's gaze. No, he didn't want to fight with the man, especially not if they were of the same mind.

"No, I don't want that; not at all. It's the old gang. They want her out." He continued, holding the ninja's gaze to the best of his ability.

"The spoiled king strikes again?" Shadow asked, his posture relaxing. When Locke nodded to the affirmative, the ninja paused, looking down at his handiwork. "I am not surprised."

"At this point, neither am I." Locke mumbled, laying out another wood tile.

"Surprising." The other man commented, returning to his work. "When last I saw, you and Figaro were friendly."

"We still are." Locke sighed. "Just not over the subject of Terra."

"Ah. Is this disagreement just over her health or is he still a drooling fool for her?" Shadow asked, his mask turning up as he smirked. Locke laughed despite himself, nodding.

"That's a good way to say it. He is a bit of an idiot around her isn't he?" Locke smiled broadly. "Yes, it's about both things. She doesn't love him, and she never will. She just doesn't care about love. Or Sex for that matter."

"After what we know now about what happened to her. Would you care for those things?" Shadow asked, looking pointedly at Locke.

"No, I don't suppose I would." Locke muttered, his face heating almost painfully as his shoulders slumped. Why did the ninja have to mention that Goddess awful part of the problem? The last thing he wanted to think about was Terra being thrown against a wall and…and…

No, don't think about that. Not now…

"Most young men dislike being told they can't have something. Especially when it's a love interest." Shadow stated, breaking Locke from his thoughts as he cast a thoughtful glance over the village. "Speaking of young men; Einon's out."

Locke threw his gaze out to the square, curious. Sure enough, Einon hovered at the edge of the square, his back to the stable wall. From this distance, Locke couldn't see the expression on the kid's face, but his posture gave away his ever present poor attitude. The treasure hunter sighed, his shoulders slumping as he watched the kid. He'd hoped things would be better with Einon today. But, with the fight this morning and the fact that he locked himself up in the stable, Locke knew that tomorrow they'd be taking Einon back to Anthem.

He sighed and looked down at his dirty hands. A part of him was glad the kid would be leaving, but another part of him wished it didn't have to be this way. But, what choice did they have? Locke shook his head and sat back on his heels, closing his eyes and tilting his head back. The wind was cool and comforting on his hot face and he took a moment to let it clear his head. After a moment, he bent back over the straw, intent on finishing the crest of the roof so they could start down the front side. With any luck, they'd be done by mid afternoon tomorrow.

Within the hour, they'd started down the front side of the roof, carefully laying out the thick planks that supported the thatch. Jacoby handed them up the ladder carefully, his face reddening beneath their weight. It took both Locke and Shadow to haul each one up, but even with Jacoby's aid, it was a struggle. Grumbling, Locke stuck the handle of his hammer between his teeth and began hauling the newest length of wood up the sloping roof. Shadow grunted beside him as he bent to relieve Jacoby of the weight. The young man on the ladder groaned, breathing hard. He paused to rub the sweat from his eyes with a gloved hand. Locke winced as he watched the young man, taking note of his now shredded gloves. Those hadn't been easy to make, and now they were trashed. Jacoby couldn't lift many more of those by himself let alone climb up the ladder with them. But, there was no one else to help. Every able hand had been given a task, and that included most of the children. There was no one.

Unless…

"Einon!" Locke called, his heart flip-flopping in his chest. This was a long shot, but… "Hey! Einon!"

Einon looked up, his brilliant copper hair flashing in the sunlight as he searched for Locke. Raising a hand, Locke waved to the kid, catching his attention. Einon slouched and hung his head, obviously ignoring him.

"Einon! Come here!" Locke called, waving to the kid once more.

"Stop, Cole." Shadow said gently, though he watched with interest. "He's not going to help."

"At least let me try." Locke muttered. He straightened to the best of his ability, glancing at Jacoby as he waved to Einon again.

"Locke, don't." Jacoby groaned, drawing his hood away from his face. "Just leave him alone."

"No, we need his help."

By this time, most talk in the village had stopped as the adults turned their eyes to Locke and Einon. With a sigh, Locke continued to wave the kid over, despite being rudely ignored.

"Einon! Come over here!" When the kid continued to ignore him, Jacoby asked Locke to let it go once more. But Locke refused.

Ushering Jacoby down the ladder, Locke climbed down from the roof, ignoring Shadow's disapproving gaze. Jacoby groaned once more as Locke started across the square, tugging his gloves from his hands. Enough was enough. They need Einon's hands, and they were going to get them or the kid was walking back to Anthem by himself, now. Einon blinked at him as he approached, his expression confused and nervous. He backed against the stable wall and looked to the left, the thought of running writing itself across his thin face.

"Don't even think about it, kid." Locke warned, aiming a finger at the nervous young man. "I'll have you down before you can even blink."

"What do you want?" Einon sneered, his lip turning up.

"I want your help." Locke explained. "Jacoby can't lift those planks by himself anymore or he'll fall. You have able hands, and we need them."

"I'm not helping you." The kid scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Why not?" Locke questioned, unconsciously mimicking Einon's stance.

"You've never given me anything. I owe you nothing."

"Oh really? And what about the people that have looked after you this past week? Don't they deserve your help?" Locke asked, a smirk curling his lips. This was getting interesting.

"No, they don't. They haven't given me anything." The kid sneered, sticking his nose in the air.

"Oh they haven't?" Locke chuckled, despite himself. "I call food, a bath, clean clothes and a place to sleep a big something. Something you've thrown back in their faces for no reason. And yet, they still look after you. Now, you need to get your skinny ass over there and help them."

"No, I don't. I don't have to do a damn thing for them."

"Okay. Enough. What the hell is your problem?" Locke growled. "What the hell is so bad about this place that you have to act like a little shit?"

"Huh?" The kid asked, his eyes wide.

"Why did you attack Terra?" Locke asked, taking a step closer.

"I didn't attack her. She attacked me."

"Oh did she? With what? Fear for your health? Oh yeah, she really came after you with a club on that one. How dare she try to feed you let alone put clothes on your back." Locke snarled despite himself.

"I don't want her help! Or theirs!" Einon rumbled, stamping a foot.

"If you didn't, you would have stayed."

"Well, I need to eat don't I?" The kid demanded, his face turning red.

"Yes you do, but if you could feed yourself, you would leave." Locke replied, narrowing his eyes. "Which means, you need their help. And you know what the sick thing is? They **want **to help you. And all you've done is hate them for it. And now, you've upgraded to attacking them."

"I didn't mean to hurt her!" Einon denied, throwing his hands in the air. "If she hadn't been so weak, she wouldn't have gotten hurt."

"Weak? Oh please. That woman could run circles around your ass, you little shit. I've seen her take out a plains dragon. And that was only a few months ago." Locke rumbled, exasperated.

"Yeah right." Einon scoffed. "That little slut couldn't take down a coney."

"What did you call her?" Locke growled, his eyes narrowing as his ears began to roar.

"You heard me. She's a slut. Look at her. No woman would ever let herself be that skinny if she wasn't some sort of whore."

Locke saw red. His hands caught on the kid's collar and dragged him close. Einon cried out as Locke shook him hard once, his rust colored eyes flooding with terror.

"Don't you ever say that about your mother again you worm." Locke thundered, his heart suddenly pounding as rage flooded through him.

"Goddess!" Einon cried, pressing a hand into Locke's chest and trying to push himself away. "She's not my mother!"

Locke released the kid's shirt, half expecting Duane to tackle him. He took a breath, waiting for the inevitable response from one of the adults to come. When it didn't, he exhaled, closing his eyes for a moment. Once he'd gotten a grip on his temper, he looked back at the kid, taking note of the still terrified look in his eyes.

"Yes, Einon. She is." Locke sighed. "She's done nothing but look after you since you arrived. And she's shown you nothing but unconditional love. Just like a mother."

"Well, she's not mine. My mother died. And she deserved it! Just like my dad!" Einon roared, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "That's what they get for fucking around with Holmes! He gave them money and they wasted it! And when they didn't pay up, he killed them! And now, Holmes wants me to pay it back! And I don't have any money so he wants me to work for him. I won't do it! I refuse to be his bitch!"

"So leave, go somewhere he can't find you." Locke reasoned, running his fingers through his soaked hair.

"I can't walk to the next village. It's too far." Einon growled. "You think I'd survive that walk? I can't hunt."

"So learn. It's pass or fail out there. You'll get it eventually." Locke stated, taking a deep breath.

"Okay fine. Is that what you want? You want me to leave?" Einon demanded.

"If this is the way you're going to treat your mother then, yes. Yes, I want you to leave."

"She's not my mother you ass!" Einon shouted. "She's just some stupid slut who won't leave me alone."

Locke raised his arm across his chest, curling his hand into a fist. He made to strike the young man as his father had done to him whenever he screwed up. But he stopped just short of cracking Einon in the head. Einon cried out and ducked, covering his head with his hands. Behind him, Locke could hear shouting on the rooftops, but he couldn't make out what they were saying over the roaring in his ears.

"Next time, my hand doesn't stop." Locke rumbled low in his throat. His heart pounded painfully against his ribs as he glared down at the kid. "Where I come from there is a punishment when a man insults a lady."

"Lady my ass!" Einon cried, his face red. "She's living in a house with four men right now. She's obviously putting out."

"Your mother is not that kind of woman." Locke growled, his hands itching to wrap about the kid's neck and strangle him. "Don't you ever think of her that way."

"Oh my Goddess, you dumb ass." Einon groaned in exasperation. "Stop calling her that. She is not my mother."

"Then who is? I don't see anyone else feeding or clothing you. Let alone allowing you to hide in her house because you're not man enough to face Holmes yourself." Locke scoffed, motioning at the village with tired hands. "Accept it kid. She's your mother, and she deserves your respect. Everyone here has decided to drop your ass back in Anthem tomorrow; and she's still arguing to keep you. She's your mother you idiot."

"Well she's stupid!" Einon cried. "Take me back to Anthem then. I'll just come back!"

"You obviously don't want to be here, so why would you come back?"

"Well…I.."

"If you come back, no one is going to help you Einon." Locke stated flatly. "You will be left to fend for yourself."

"Then I'll steal."

"Damn it, Einon." Locke cursed.

"That's not my name!" The kid shouted.

"Yes, it is. Your mother gave it to you." Locke sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"She's not my mother!" Einon cried, his voice cracking from the volume. "And you're not my father, so stop talking to me like you are!"

"At this point, yes I am." Locke growled before he could stop himself. "I'm the only one with the balls to call you on your bullshit, which puts me in charge of you. Therefore, I'm your father."

"Shut up!" Einon shouted, his face beet red as tears of anger began to leak from his eyes. "You're not my dad!"

"I am now. That responsibility was handed to me when your daddy hitched a ride on the heaven express. And I demand a shred of respect out of you. And you'll give it or I'll flay the skin off your back. Am I clear, young man?" Locke found himself half shouting. He was absolutely fed up with this kid's shit, and he refused to put up with it any longer. And if it meant that he had to beat Einon's ass bloody, he would.

Enough was enough.

--

Setzer had been handing more wooden tiles to her when the shouting started. Looking up, Terra threw her gaze about the village, brushing her heavy hood back to clear her field of view. She'd heard enough of Einon's rants over the past few days to know instantly that it was young man. But, in the week he'd been here, she'd never once heard him so angry.

"What in the…" She started, unable to find the source.

Setzer placed a hand on her elbow, drawing her attention as he pointed across the square towards the stable. The children had suddenly stopped their game and fled to Katrin's porch, unused to such a display. She knew Einon had come out when Locke started calling to him, but she'd just shaken her head and deemed it as a futile attempt. Locke was trying and she was proud of him for it; but, he needed to learn to recognize when something was no use. She hated herself for thinking that, but the steady ache in her cheek had led her to agree with the rest of the village. Einon needed to leave. But, of all the things she'd never expected Locke to do, it was go after the young man.

The two of them stood beside the stable wall, the heat of their argument obvious in their posture. Even from this distance, Terra could tell things were about to get nasty. But there was something in the way Locke stood, something in the way his spine straightened when Einon said something in particular that made her pause. In the back of her mind, she knew she should be down there, breaking up the fight. But, she couldn't move. Something about the sight of them had her glued to the rooftop.

"Terra, we need to do something." Setzer muttered to her.

"I know just give me a moment." Right as she spoke, Locke raised his arm to strike the younger man and her heart jumped in her chest.

"NO!"

The cry was out of her before she could stop herself. The others were shouting with her, scrambling to throw their tools aside and interfere. She was halfway down the roof, her cloak left behind when Locke lowered his arm without striking the boy. She skidded to a halt, throwing up bits of old thatch as she dug her boots in. From her new vantage point, she could see Einon relax and her heart started beating again. Setzer skidded down beside her, suddenly grabbing her arm and pulling her back. She gasped at the pressure as she fell back on her bottom, looking up at him in confusion. He frowned as he motioned for her to look before her. Her lips parted in surprise when she saw that she'd run right to the edge of the porch, nearly diving over the edge. If she'd gone any further, she'd probably have broken her leg.

"You're not my dad!"

She looked up in confusion at Einon's shout, her heart racing.

What?

What could make Einon say that? And why was Locke denying it? What in the name of the Goddess was going on?

"…the hell?" Setzer whispered beside her, staring in shock as the argument continued, Einon's voice still raised to the point of hysterics. But despite the young man's obvious distress, Locke still pressed forward on him, his shoulders hunched as he towered over Einon. "It looks like he's…"

"Cracking Einon's resolve…" Terra finished for the gambler. She gently pulled her arm free of his grasp, her hand briefly squeezing his before she crept across the porch roof towards the ladder.

Throwing her braid back over her shoulder, Terra started down the ladder, her legs unsteady beneath her after being perched on the sloping rooftop for so long. On the porch, the small group of children who had been unable to help sat together in a group, Interceptor standing over them as they watched the fight. She smiled apologetically at them, motioning for to go into the house. They went without complaint, closing the door behind them and taking up watch points at the windows. Interceptor remained outside, sitting down on his haunches in front of the door, his ears pricked up as he gazed at her.

"Just back off!" Einon shouted. "Just go away you fucking moron. Go hang out with your slut and leave me alone!"

_WHACK!_

Terra turned in time to watch Einon's head snap to the side as Locke backhanded him across the mouth. She could tell that Locke hadn't hit him very hard, but that didn't stop her heart from freezing in her chest as rage welled up in her.

That asshole! She'd told him to stop talking about beating the boy, but she hadn't expected this!

"Locke! Don't you fucking touch him!" She shouted, her voice ringing out over the screams of the others. She threw herself forward, rage urging her across the square to hurl Locke to the ground.

Terra was able to get three steps into her sprint before Setzer dove down the ladder and threw his arms about her in a bear hug. She kicked as he yanked her back, successfully planting a heel in his knee. Setzer grunted but still dragged her back, easily plucking her up off the ground as though she weighed nothing.

"Let me go! Goddess Damn it!" She shouted, kicking.

"No. Not until you settle down. I don't feel like cleaning Locke's innards off the stable wall today." The gambler growled. "Besides. Look."

Terra growled but paused in her struggles. There was no way she was going to break the pilot's grip, so she slumped in his arms, her body going limp as she watched in horror, expecting Locke to continue to hit the boy. When she looked, she was surprised to find that the argument had stopped dead and Einon stood silently, his head down as he pressed a hand to his punished cheek. He blinked up at the older man, his eyes wide with shock as his jaw worked for words that never came.

"I told you." Locke growled, his voice shaking with rage as his hands curled into fists at his sides. "There is a punishment when a man insults a lady."

"But…you...you're not my dad…" Einon stuttered, his breath starting to come in gasps. "You…you can't…you can't…can't…"

"I can. And I did." Locke's voice was soft as his shoulders sagged.

"B-but…I…"

"No 'buts', Einon." Locke sighed. "I'm…I…"

And all of the sudden Einon was sobbing.

Terra blinked in shock as Einon just seemed to fall apart, his whole world shattering around him like glass. And, to her horror, Locke just stood there saying and doing nothing as the boy fell to his knees, wailing like an infant. With a roar, Terra dug her torn nails into Setzer's arm as hard as she could, throwing it aside when Setzer gasped. She ignored his calls for her to stop as she raced towards the two. She didn't know what she could possibly do, but she had to be there. She just had to be.

But then, Locke did something that stopped her in her tracks, not ten feet away from them.

The treasure hunter knelt before the sobbing young man, his expression gentle as he set a hand on Einon's shoulder. He just smiled softly as the young man dropped his face into his hands, muffling his hysterics briefly before dropping into the dust. He thrashed briefly, pounding the ground with his fists before simply curling up on his side. Einon coughed hard as Locke reached out to rub at his side, still smiling as he whispered to the younger man.

Startled and nervous, Terra looked about her, not surprised to find the better portion of the adults and several of the teens standing in the square, rooted in place and staring in shock. Ava stood closest to her, a bucket of water in her hands, probably intended to be thrown at the two to break up the fight. She gaped at Terra, her face white as she looked back and forth between her and the two on the ground. Terra raised a placating hand to the young woman, motioning for her to remain where she was.

Swallowing hard, Terra closed the distance between her and Locke, curling a hand at her breast. Einon's sobs had dissolved into gasps and weak coughs by the time she reached Locke's side. The treasure hunter looked up at her over his shoulder as she approached, his eyes red from frustration despite the faint smile on his lips.

"I…" She started unsuccessfully. What could she possibly say? She'd only seen one break down like this before; and she'd had no idea what to do then either.

"Einon. Hey, kid." Locke murmured, gently shaking the young man's shoulder. "Mama's here."

Terra's lips parted in shock as Locke turned a smug grin to her, his ice blue eyes sparkling. He cocked his head in the direction of the boy, tossing her an encouraging wink. Throwing her braid over her shoulder, she knelt beside him, her heart quivering in her breast. She reached for the young man with shaking fingers, chewing her lip as she brushed the sweat soaked hair from his red face. Einon twitched beneath her touch, blinking up at her with puffy, frightened eyes.

"Hi…" Terra whispered nervously, her heart pounding. He just looked at her for a moment, his coppery eyes bleary as tears continued to leak out. Taking a breath, he raised his head, pushing himself up onto his hands. Terra's brow furrowed in confusion as he coughed and wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"Oh, Einon." Terra found herself chuckling. "Don't do that."

Einon stared at her as she reached into the pocket of her far too big breeches and pulled out her battered handkerchief. Beside her, Locke laughed as she reached out to wipe at the young man's nose. The red head tried to dodge around her seeking hands but gave in when she grabbed his shoulder and held him in place. Once his face was clean, she let him take the handkerchief and blow his nose, unable to keep from smiling. Locke set a hand on her back, rubbing gently as she combed the young man's hair from his eyes with her fingers.

"You need a bath." She chuckled, looking down into those terrified, helpless eyes. " A long, hot bath."

"But I…" The young man began.

"No no." Terra cut him off, waggling a finger in front of his nose. "No 'buts'. A hot bath, a change of clothes, a hot meal, and a warm bed; that's what you're getting. But don't think you're getting off easy. You're quite grounded, young man."

With that, Terra pushed herself to her feet, dragging the exhausted boy with her. He protested meekly, but she guessed it was more for show than anything else at this point. She tossed a glance to Locke, who slowly got to his feet, a faint smile still curling his lips. He stood over her, his shoulders hunched as he stuck his hands into his pockets, his brow furrowed. Terra sighed, her shoulders slumping as she caught his gaze. Within her, her heart beat out a confused rhythm. She didn't know how to feel about him at that moment. If it hadn't been for him, Einon wouldn't have finally broken down. But, Locke also didn't have to hit the young man. But…he hadn't beaten him…But…

Oh Goddess…She didn't know what to think!

"I'm going to look after him. Can you…?" She started, her voice trailing off when Locke gaze back at her, his icy blue eyes unreadable. A part of her jumped as he nodded, a breeze ruffling his sweat soaked hair about his face. Something in her flopped about like a fish, dancing back and forth in her belly as she looked up at him, her words dying in her throat.

"Yeah, we'll be okay." He said, his voice husky as he looked down at her, holding her gaze with an iron fist. "You go ahead. I don't think we'll be able to work much longer anyway."

Terra nodded, her heart heavy as she took Einon by the hand and led him up the hill towards her house. Deep within, that flopping fish fell down into her belly, setting her insides sore once more. Goddess this hurt. It was like someone had reached inside and beaten her with a rod. But this flopping, it wasn't just pain. It was something she couldn't describe. It felt like disappointment, but it wasn't for Locke.

_Goddess help me…I can't stand this…He makes me feel so...so…odd. I can't stand this anymore!_

Her hips were oddly achy as she started up the hill, Einon's fingers twining nervously with hers. She struggled not to look over her shoulder towards Locke, fearing that looking at him might just make her feel worse. Somewhere deep within her, she wished he hadn't come to visit this time, and it hurt much more than she ever thought it would. But then, if he hadn't come…she wouldn't have this chance with Einon.

Oh, to hell with it. She'd worry about her feelings later. What was important right now as to get their newest addition clean and comfortable.

"All right, Einon." She started, ushering him inside the tiny house. "Let's get started."

"My name isn't Einon." The young man mumbled half-heartedly.

"I'm sorry, friend" Terra sighed. "But, it is now."

--

Terra and Einon did not leave the house for the rest of the day, and did not appear at dinner, much to Locke's chagrin. He sat away from the family, Jacoby at his side as he stared down at his untouched meal. The young man kept turning worried glances at the treasure hunter, but Locke ignored him. He felt too sorry for himself to care what the others thought at the moment. He never should have hit Einon. But, he'd just been so angry at the kid. And by all rights and accounts, Einon deserved it. And Locke had warned him, hadn't he? That made him less of a villain didn't it? Oh Goddess…he just didn't know.

Before him, his bowl suddenly vanished, breaking him out of his thoughts. Looking up, he found himself looking steadily into Valda's disapproving gaze. Locke sighed, a new wave of self hate washing through him as the woman took the plate away. He stayed in his seat as she ushered everyone out for after dinner play and relaxation, her voice gruff. The woman turned back to him, planting her hands on her shapely hips and fixing him with a glare.

"All right, stop." She growled, tossing her curtain of black hair over her shoulder as she came back to the table. "You're making me sick."

Locke remained silent, eyeing the grain in the table. So what if she was angry? Nothing could hurt more than Terra's disapproval of him.

"Ooh! If you don't stop moping, I'm going to hit you." Valda rumbled, striding away from him. She set a washrag into the stew pot, scrubbing hard at the sides.

"Valda, don't growl at him. It won't help."

Locke looked up briefly as Canaan slipped in through the door, a covered bucket in his hand. Duane came in behind him, kicking the doorstop aside. He shut the door quietly as Locke dropped his gaze, a frown on his lips. Taking the bucket from Canaan, Duane made for the table, setting the bucket down and pulling the cover aside. He reached within and drew out the village's hidden bottle of whiskey and set it down with a small set of cracked and dingy shot glasses.

"Valda, maybe it's better if you step out." Duane suggested, his voice oddly light.

"No, no. I'm fine. Besides, these need to be cleaned." She refused, still scrubbing the pot.

"We can do that for you if you're uncomfortable." Canaan said softly, moving to his wife. They spoke in hushed tones for a moment, keeping their heads together. When Valda shook her head, her husband chuckled and kissed her forehead. "All right, just let me know."

Canaan came to the table, a faint smile on his lips as he took a seat. He raised a hand to brush his hair from his eyes, nodding when Duane offered him a shot of whiskey. Duane poured the shots generously, a broad grin on his face when Canaan had to sip at the edge of the glass to keep it from spilling. Still smiling, Duane filled a glass and pushed it across the table to Locke, who just stared at it.

"Drink it." Duane encouraged, his voice hopeful. "You'll feel better."

"Right." Locke scoffed. He blinked at the glass for a moment, eyeing the amber liquid within. He reached for the little glass, wondering just how much they'd paid for the bottle, and drank it anyway. The familiar burn felt good in his throat, and the thick flavor burst on his tongue and set off tiny sparks at the back of his brain. He sighed as he set the glass back on the table, his shoulders slumping.

"Not the best," Canaan said, admiring his empty glass. "But good enough to go on with."

"Yes, indeed." Duane agreed once he'd drained his glass. "A good way to start, I think."

"Start?" Locke asked, fearing that he already knew what was coming.

"Yeah. We need to talk." Canaan said gently. He leaned back in his chair, folding his hands on his stomach as he looked across the table at Locke.

"I can see that." Locke asked, unable to fight down a cynical chuckle. "What first?"

"Einon first." Duane answered, looking down at his glass thoughtfully. "Why did you even try talking to him?"

"Because he's a little shit who doesn't deserve to eat your food if he isn't willing to work for it." Locke mumbled. They were going to ask him to leave anyway, so, why should he care about the way he acted. "And, we needed his hands. Jacoby couldn't lift those planks anymore and Einon was just standing around. And from there, it just kind of exploded. And then he started throwing insults."

"Insults like what?" Duane asked, filling Locke's glass once more.

"He called Terra a slut." Locke replied, his shoulders slumping as he looked down at the glass. At the counter, Valda growled and threw down her cleaning rag. She turned to face them, her eyes dark.

"Good Goddess, man." She grumbled in exasperation, her green eyes blazing. "Why didn't you hit him harder?"

"Pardon?" Locke sat back in his chair, gaping at her. What the hell did she mean? Hit him harder? What has going on here?

"Agreed." Duane muttered taking another shot. "Little bastard needed to be hit."

The look on Locke's face as he looked between them must truly have been a spectacle, for Canaan started laughing when he caught his eye.

"Locke, why the surprise?" The man asked as his laughter calmed.

"I...I hit him." The treasure hunter stammered, blinking at them.

"Yes. And?" Valda asked, dropping a hand to emphasize her exasperation. She snatched Canaan's shot glass away from him, draining it despite his protests. "You did the one thing we couldn't."

"It's not a crime to punish your children, Locke." Duane explained, turning back to Locke. "Most children can only associate pain with wrongness until they get older, say Hope's age. I'm not saying beat them. A spanking is not a beating and a smack to the mouth when they say something awful is even less than the spanking. You didn't hurt him, Locke. You cracked him a good one. For Goddess sake, I've done that to someone before."

"I know. Marian told me." Locke said quietly, looking down at his still full shot glass.

"And for heaven's sake." Valda heaved, throwing he hands in the air. "You were warranted in doing so. Now, will you stop moping? No one is going to kick you out for smacking the boy when he needed it. Locke, you just passed one of the hardest steps of parenthood. You punished the child only when he deserved it and you didn't hurt him in doing so. A stinging cheek and a dose of respect for you is all you gave him. It's not evil."

"Oh Goddess, I'm so confused." Locke complained, propping his elbows on the table and dropping his face into his hands. "Why are you on my side when Terra is so angry with me?"

"Oh, Terra's had a bug in her britches ever since she came back from Figaro." Valda scoffed, throwing her hands in the air. "Let her stew for a while. She's having an episode."

"An episode?" Locke questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, she does this." Canaan sighed.

"This is part of the reason she stopped going to the parties in Figaro." Duane said with a frown. "They remind her that she's young. How would you feel if you had the fact that you're missing out on the life you could be having? No, the life you should be having?"

"But, she seems so happy here. And you and Katrin, you're happy too." Locke stated, his confusion deepening.

"She is happy, Locke. Terra loves it here. She's not one for parties and has never done well in a crowd. It's the court that gets to her. Katrin and I have never known anything fancy and rich, so this life is just fine for us. I'd like a much larger farm and to have my parents back, but I'm just fine without those things." Duane explained, fingering his empty glass.

"The glamour, the gowns, the people. It's everything a young woman starves for." Valda sighed, taking up her cleaning rag again. "And, just because she's different doesn't mean that she doesn't want the same things other women do. She wants to be beautiful and loved. She wants to be asked to dance and wooed by handsomely dressed men."

"But, Terra doesn't give a wit about romance." Locke interrupted, his confusion turning to disbelief.

"And that's what makes her so grouchy." Valda continued. "It's the fact that she wants these things but never gets any enjoyment out of them that makes her so upset. Locke, Terra does not adjust well to the social world. It's like it's physically impossible. She goes to Anthem and draws the attention of the men her age, for heavens sake, Locke, she's the most exotic woman in the world! But, it doesn't make her feel a damn thing. It drives her crazy."

"What she's trying to say, is that Terra is displacing her anger about going to Figaro onto what happened. She's not mad at you. She convinced herself that she needed to protect Einon because the only love she can feel is the maternal kind. If she hadn't gone to Figaro, she'd have clocked Einon into next week before you could blink." Canaan explained, laying his hands on the table in a placating manner. "So, you see, she's not angry at you. She's angry at herself."

"Ah. Well, I guess that's okay." Locke muttered, looking back down at the tabletop.

No, it was more than okay. It was wonderful. She wasn't angry with him! That changed everything! He wanted to see her, right then. He wanted to run out of the meeting hall and go talk to her; to go apologize and pretend that they'd never argued. To…to…

_Hold her…_

Locke's heart paused in his chest at the thought, his face growing hot. What? Where had that desire come from? No, it wasn't a desire. It was a need. A deep addicting need to feel her in his arms. He just wanted to have her sitting there beside him, smiling up at him as he rubbed at her cold hands, desperate to warm them.

"At any rate..." Canaan began, cutting off Locke's train of though. "I think it would be better if you stayed with us tonight. Just to make things easier. Einon will be sleeping at Terra's tonight and if things work out with him, I have a feeling it'll be a permanent arrangement. She needs a night with just her family. Jacoby and Setzer had already moved one of the extra beds up into her living room for the time being, so things could get interesting."

"Ah." Locke muttered, crestfallen. "What about Setzer and Shadow?"

"They're staying with Marian." Duane answered, hiding the bottle of whiskey away in the covered bucket once more.

"Is that a good idea?" Locke asked, blinking in shock. It was obvious at Marian was very attracted to Setzer, so he had to wonder.

"I think so." Valda laughed heartily. "She could use a good lay."

"Valda!" Canaan started, staring wide-eyed at his wife. Valda just continued to laugh, her eyes bright as she scrubbed at the dinnerware. "Goddess, woman. What am I going to do with you?"

"Well, I have a few ideas." Locke said before he could stop himself. Across the table, Duane laughed heartily, patting Canaan on the back.

"So do I." Canaan chuckled, waggling his eyebrows at his wife. The woman continued to laugh a moment longer before setting the now clean dishes up on the shelves.

"All right, gentlemen." She smiled, turning to them. "Off with you for the evening. It's story time and you know you're expected."

Laughing, the group rose from the table and made for the door, Duane carrying the bucket once more. Canaan and Valda stayed within for a moment however as Duane and Locke waited outside, chatting pleasantly while the couple talked within. A moment later, Valda blew out the candle and came out, locking up the hall for the evening. With that, they headed towards Duane's home, story time calling to them.

--

They had decided to fish that morning, leaving before dawn as always. They had opted to leave Jacoby at home that morning, however and returned early to start on the rooftops once more. Locke was coming out of the little bathhouse attached to Valda's home when he spotted Terra washing the laundry, as per usual. But, to Locke's surprise, Einon was standing with her, hanging the clothing up on the line as she handed it to him. Locke paused to watch them for a moment, looking away when Jacoby came out with another basket of clothing to be washed.

He went around to the far side of the house where Ava was gutting the fish, a smile on her face as she chatted with a small gathering of the older girls. The young woman smiled at him as he approached, the sparkle in her eyes bringing a faint smile to his lips.

"Morning glorious." She chirped, the other girls echoing her greeting. "I'm surprised you all went to the river this morning, what with all the work that's left to do."

"Yeah well, we were lucky Nestor had caught those coneys yesterday, or we wouldn't have had much in the way of dinner." Locke said, tying his bandanna over his forehead.

"Yeah, but coneys are good." Jennia stated, her dark face lighting up as she grinned prettily.

"Well, yeah." Locke agreed, dragging out the last word and offering the girl a lopsided grin.

"But, grilled fish is still good too." Emenda cut in, bumping her hip into Jennia's. The girls giggled and replaced Ava's full cast off bowl with an empty one.

"So, what's left for interior work today?" Locke inquired, looking over the gutting tools hanging on the wall. They needed to be sharpened. He could do that today. It wouldn't take long.

"Well, the floors are done," Ava answered, pausing to brush sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. "Now, we just need to check the walls for cracks and repair them. Windows should be next. Beware though, I think Katrin wants to wash the walls this year."

"Ooh, that's the worst." Emenda grumbled, brushing her platinum hair from her eyes." But, maybe she'll let the boys help us this time."

"You just want Alan to yourself." Jennia teased, pressing a finger into Emenda's shoulder. Emenda blushed and said nothing, drawing a chuckle out of Locke.

"Do you know when breakfast is going to be?" Locke asked, turning his attention back to Ava.

"No," The young woman shook her head. "Mother and Katrin have been running about trying to get the kids up and about. And Marian has Mr. Gabbiani and Shadow helping her get everything ready to get to work after breakfast. I swear, every year I forget how many tools we have hidden away in the stable It's a miracle Mama is even doing laundry right now. She hasn't said anything to anyone all morning. She's driving me batty."

"Mama kept Einon with her last night." Jennia said, looking to Ava. "She's probably not feeling well."

"Well, Mama hasn't been feeling well since she saw the king." Emenda cut in, her brow furrowed with worry. "I like him, but I don't like the way he makes Mama feel."

"It is upsetting, isn't it?" Locke sighed, casting his gaze to the ground. His shoulders slumped as his heart fell in his chest. That was the last thing he wanted to think about this morning.

"Mama will be fine." Ava crooned, turning a soft smile to the girls. And for a moment, Locke admired the young woman. One day, she would be an excellent mother, and he hoped he would be around to see it. "Now scoot you, go find Amaria and see if the three of you can't do anything to start on breakfast. Let Marian know before you do anything though."

The girls nodded obediently and waved goodbye. Picking up their skirts, they raced off towards the stable, their voices raised in laughter over something or other.

"If you'd like to find something to do, I'm sure my mom could put you to work." Ava said, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. "I'll be done soon and heading that way myself."

"Yeah, I think I'll do that." Locke mumbled, looking off towards the animal pens.

"Good. And Locke?" Ava asked, drawing his gaze to her. "Could you leave Mama alone for a bit longer? I know it's not my place to say anything about it, but, I'd just leave her be unless she comes to you."

"Yeah, Ava. I can do that." Locke nodded, smiling at the girl It wasn't her place to say anything, but he didn't mind. In fact, it made him feel better, being asked to leave her alone. It would make things easier on them later. "Well, I'm off."

With that, Locke turned and made for Katrin's house, where no doubt they were still cleaning up after the kids. The house was warm when he entered, the lamps burning high in the living room. He could hear Valda and Katrin downstairs, scurrying about as they made the beds and picked up clothing. He closed the door behind him and went for the stairs, pausing at the top of the stairs to listen for a moment. And, he was glad that he did. The two of them were talking, and from the sound of their conversation, it was past the point of private. He turned to leave, but something Valda said made him stop, his ears straining to listen.

"I just want to hit Locke over the head over this." She said, her voice tired.

"I understand how you feel." Katrin answered, her voice equally tired. "But the two of them are so hard headed, it wouldn't do any good. And you know Terra will deny it to the end of time. Besides, happy endings never happen to the people who deserve them."

"Well they should. They do so well together. And Locke's come so far with the children." Valda sighed. "The kids get so sad when he leaves. I wish he would just stay. Things are so much easier when he's here. But, then, things get harder too, don't they?"

"Yes, they do." Katrin answered, her voice suddenly down hearted. "But, there's really nothing we can do about it. Locke is a taken man."

"But he's not happy!" Valda stated in frustration. "You can see that just by looking at him when he leaves. He doesn't want to go back to Celes. And I wouldn't either. All she does is push and push and push."

"We don't know that, Valda. Besides, she's so beautiful and sweet. And she sings like an angel." Katrin said, her voice full of whimsy.

"Yes, but so is Terra. Terra is just as pretty, and she sings well enough. And she cooks better." Valda grumbled. "And don't tell me Celes isn't pushing Locke. She wouldn't have asked us to help her if she wasn't."

Locke stiffened. What did they mean? What had Celes asked them to do? A spear of anger shot through him. Had Celes been planning his visits all along? And what was this about him and Terra? If they thought something was going on between them then they were sorely mistaken. He loved Terra, but not in the way they were thinking. Terra was his friend, not his love interest. And, why should he stay in Mobliz rather than go back to Kohlingen? He built that house and had every reason to live there. And yes, Celes was beautiful and sweet, and she did have the voice of an angel. She was perfect.

"Okay, okay. You win." Katrin conceded, her voice placating. "She's wrong to do so. But, that doesn't mean Terra is a better choice for him. And Terra isn't interested in romantic love; you know that. For heaven's sake, Edgar is driving her crazy."

"That's because she doesn't love him! She loves Locke." Valda grouched. "Just because she isn't interested in romantic love doesn't mean she isn't capable. Just look at her, she can barely talk to him without swooning."

"She isn't a powder puff, Valda. If there's one thing I know about my Mama, it's that she's not the swooning type. Flustered is one thing, swooning is another."

"Ah, you're still young. And you found happiness so fast, this isn't something you're interested in understanding."

"Well, I was never one for petty rumors and town gossip. I think that's what got Duane to like me in the first place. I was born to be a mother, Valda. I don't need all the silliness of romance. I think that's why my mother didn't like Duane. He got my head out of the clouds and my feet on the ground way too fast for her liking. I was fourteen when I met him. No girl should ever want to settle down at that age. I wanted a house, not a romance."

"Well, your story is romantic, honey. The fact that you're still in love with him despite how young you were is so sweet." Valda gushed, her voice light-hearted.

"When you say it like that, I suppose it is. But, I still remember the day my mother said that it wasn't real love and that if I ever let Duane be with me in my bed, the Goddess wouldn't keep my womb from doing its duty and I'd regret it for the rest of my life." Katrin sighed lightly. "I regretted it for exactly three hours. And then he came back and apologized and then Hope popped out and now Bishop."

"See? That's what I want for Terra." Valda explained. "And Locke is just the man to give her that. If he'd just get off his ass and see that!"

Locke had heard enough. Turning, he made for the front door, intent on breaking up the conversation. He opened the door once more and closed it again, a bit harder this time so they could hear it. He had no intention of leaving; he just wanted them to stop talking about this nonsense.

"Hello?" Locke called, turning back towards the stairs. "They tell me there are a couple of biddies in here that can slave me out for free labor."

"Oh you devil!" Katrin grumbled at the foot of the stairs, a smile in her voice. The stairs creaked as she started up them, her blonde head appearing at the top a moment later. "You're back early."

"Yeah, we didn't take Jacoby or Setzer with us so we didn't get very much done." He grinned, happy the gossip had stopped.

"Well, that's all right. It's not like we'll starve." She said, smiling brightly as she rubbed her hands on her apron. In his basket on her back, Bishop burbled quite happily.

"Yeah. We can always eat the kids." Locke chuckled, offering up a wink. Katrin groaned and shook her head, drawing another laugh out of Locke.

Behind Katrin, Valda came wandering up the creaking steps, gently elbowing the other woman in the behind. The dark haired woman grinned as Katrin scoffed at her and came to the top of the stairs.

"Morning glorious." Valda chirped, her eyes bright. Locke nodded to her in greeting, his annoyance fading at the light in her eyes. He could be angry all he wanted, but in the end, all they wanted was for him to be happy. They just had their thoughts on the matter and his thoughts just happened to be different.

"Ava said you might have something for me to do?" He inquired, rubbing at the back of his head.

"Yes, I think we can figure something out." Katrin said thoughtfully, straightening the basket on her back.

"Can you start on breakfast?" Valda asked. "I'm sure the kids have brought in the milk and eggs by now."

"Sure." Locke nodded. "Yeah, I can do that."

They called their thanks to him as he left the house, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he made for the meeting hall. The sun beat down on him as he opened the door to the hall, the chill of the night spilling out of the interior. He was propping the door open when Duane approached, a basket of eight eggs in his hands and a bucket of milk hanging from his arm. The farmer grinned broadly as he swept into the dark hall, explaining that Canaan had gone up to the mill for flour and would return soon. Locke smiled as he lit the lamps inside, Duane's grin infectious. He couldn't blame the man though. Lately, the livestock had been doing exceptionally well. Which meant that there would be more eggs, milk and wool for the days to come.

As Duane began pulling down the cooking pans, Locke laid some dry sweet grass on the large hearth and took the flint and steel to it, nursing the fire to life. The hearth was comfortably ablaze within minutes and the hall warming quickly. Locke had set the kettle on and was cracking eggs into the pan, when the children began to file in, their faces bright. He smiled at them as they pushed each other about, laughing and making a general ruckus. They giggled and bustled, setting their places at the table and filling their cups from the milk bucket.

A bump in the side drew Locke's attention to the edge of the hearth. Oscar blinked up at him, his blue eyes tired as he pushed a large earthenware platter onto the brick, a loaf of bread in the center. Locke blinked at it for a moment, surprised that he'd forgotten to pull it out for breakfast. The eight-year old offered the treasure hunter a sleepy smile before retreating away from the hearth, grabbing his bowl and cup last.

"Oscar?" Locke questioned, looking after the boy.

"Yes, Mr. Cole?" The kid asked, raising a hand to brush his mousy brown hair from his eyes.

"You okay?"

"I didn't sleep much." Oscar replied softly. "I wasn't feeling well."

"What's up kiddo?" Locke asked, his brow furrowing as Oscar came back to him. "What doesn't feel good?"

"I don't know," The kid sighed, setting his bowl and cup aside. "Everything I guess. But, nothing hurts or feels bad. I'm just…"

"Depressed…"Locke breathed, staring down at the boy. Oscar nodded and rubbed at his cheek, leaning against the warm brick of the hearth. "Why?"

"Because you're going to make Einon leave. He can be cool; I know he can. He just needs to try." The boy sighed, staring at the pan as Locke scrambled the eggs back and forth.

"It's good to see that at least someone has faith in him." Locke muttered, more to himself than Oscar. The boy blinked at him, confused by his comment. With a chuckle, Locke gave the eggs another toss. "I'm not sure if he'll be leaving or not, bro."

"I hope he doesn't." Oscar yawned. He offered Locke a tiny smile before picking up his cup and bowl and heading to the table.

Locke sighed and dropped his gaze back to the pan. Frowning, he tossed the eggs once more before pulling it away from the hearth. He was spooning the eggs into the empty bowls on the table when the other adults entered and took their seats, Terra not among them. He shook his head and turned back to the hearth, taking up the now warm plate of bread. Turning back to the table, he set the plate in the middle, cutting himself a piece before the children could tear into it. He remained by the hearth throughout breakfast, eating only his piece of bread as he gazed thoughtfully at the group. It was strange, seeing them all gathered without Terra and Jacoby.

Shaking his head again, Locke finished his piece of bread and turned to scrape the leavings out of the pan. He threw the burned bits into the fire before setting aside the heavy pan for scrubbing. Behind him, the ruckus got louder as the children finished their breakfast and begged to be let out to play for a while before they got to on the houses again. They filed out quickly, each stacking their plates and cups neatly atop the counter for cleaning. Once the ruckus had died down, only Setzer, Shadow and Marian remained behind with him. Marian poured herself a cup of tea from the kettle and sipped at it quietly, enjoying the moment of quiet. Across from her, Setzer reclined in his chair, his head back as he tapped at his knee.

"Okay." Marian began after a breath, drawing Locke's attention to her. She had pulled her chocolate locks back into a tail for the day, revealing the entirety of her scarred face. Locke had to admit though, he liked seeing all of her face at once. It made her look brighter; happier almost.

"So, the game plan for the day is a bit different. Terra went to the garden this morning and came back saying there was storm system on the horizon. And with the winds at this time of year, it'll be here this evening. We can finish the roofs today with no trouble even if we get a late start. Duane wants the same teams as yesterday, but I'm not counting on Terra. She did not look at all well when I saw her." She took a breath here, and allowed herself a moment to sip from her cup. "Jacoby said to grab him when we're ready so Shadow, Locke you're all set to finish up my house. Setzer, I'll be going up with you in Terra's place today. I'm not as fast as she is, but it's at least a pair of hands."

"Hey, as long as it gets done, I don't care how slow you are." Setzer shrugged, raising his head and fixing her with an even gaze.

"When do we start?" Shadow questioned, gazing down at the table, where his mask lay.

"I'd say in about twenty minutes. The kids need to run a bit before we put them to work." Marian replied, picking at her worn cotton shirt.

"Is everything out and ready to go?" Locke asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yeah, we're all set." Marian confirmed. She drained her mug and set it aside to be cleaned. "Shall we?"

The small group nodded and rose from the table, pushing in their chairs as Shadow pulled his mask over his face. Locke threw sand into the hearth to snuff out the flames as the others filed out. Feeling rather melancholy, he looked about the now empty hall, his eyes falling on the stack of dishes. Making up his mind, Locke pulled the wash buckets in from their place just outside the door. It was quick work, seeing as they had no soap to worry about. He scrubbed at them as quickly as he could, chewing on his lip as he dug at the bowls with the dishcloth. Once the dishes had been dried and placed back on the shelves, he hefted the wash buckets and carried them out into the sunlight, dumping them out in the little herb garden Valda kept on the far side of the meeting hall. He stacked the buckets neatly beside the door before retreating into the still warm interior of the hall, his shirt already sticking to his skin from the warmth of the day.

Locke pulled back the curtains inside the hall and opened the tiny windows before turning back to the hearth. Taking down the ash cloth and shovel, he swept out the hearth, coughing as the dust and ash billowed into the air. With the hearth clear of debris, he set the shovel back on its hook beside the hearth and gathered up the edges of the ash cloth. A shadow fell across him from the doorway as he hefted the laden ash cloth off the floorboards. Gripping the edges of the cloth tightly, Locke turned to face the individual in the doorway, his mouth going dry the moment he did.

Terra stood quietly just inside the door, her teeth worrying nervously at her lip as she gazed at him with uncertain eyes. She twisted the edge of her cotton shirt in her hands as she dropped her gaze, her lips parting as she fought for something to say. Locke's heart pounded in his chest as he watched her. She looked so small standing there, chewing her lip like a nervous preteen. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat as he set the bundled up ash cloth back down onto the floorboards, rubbing nervously at the back of his neck with a dusty hand.

"H-hi." He stuttered, his voice sounding pathetic in the warm air.

"H-hey…I-I…" Terra started, her voice shaking. "I th-thought you'd left."

"Why would I leave?" He asked, his shoulders slumping. "Sh-should I go?"

"No." Terra peeped, her hand flying to her mouth as her eyes widened. "I-I mean…When you didn't come home last night, I was afraid that'd you and Setzer and Shadow had left without…without saying goodbye. And I…I waited for you, but…when you hadn't come home by midnight, I gave up."

_Home…_

"No…I spent the night at Canaan and Valda's." Locke explained, his voice still pathetically weak as he stared at her. "Valda said to leave you alone because you took Einon and…I…"

"Well…that was a good idea, but someone should have told me." Terra sighed, her hands falling away from her shirt as her shoulders slumped. She picked absently at her tan breeches as she dropped her gaze, her unbound hair falling into her face. "Look…about that last few days. I've been… a real bitch. Sorry, I hate to use the word, but, it's true. And I…I'm not mad. I should have stopped Einon's nonsense a long time ago. And I…I'm…proud of you. F-for stepping up and…and putting an end to his...oh hell…his bullshit when I didn't have the guts to do it."

Locke could only blink at her in wide-eyed wonder and she stammered all of this out. He rubbed at the back of his neck nervously as he digested her words. Frowning, he dropped his gaze for a moment, toeing absently at the ash cloth with a dusty boot. Taking a breath, he gathered what little courage he had at that moment and looked at her again, desperate to find something to say. She kept her gaze down, her tangled hair hanging in her face. The emerald strands were wet, the water catching in the sunlight coming in through the door and flashing prettily.

"I'd never leave without saying something." He said, keeping his voice down for fear that it would crack from nerves. "I couldn't."

She peeked up at him through her tangles, the bruise on her cheek and her slumped posture reminding him of the mop children he'd seen in so many different cities. The bruise on her cheek had turned a livid black and red overnight, the sight of it sending a twinge of discomfort through him. Frowning, Locke dropped his gaze again, out of things to say. He looked up however when she sighed heavily. Terra blinked back at him, her brow furrowed and a frown on her lips as she brushed her hair from her eyes.

"Well, if you had…left…I mean…I'd…I'd have…you wouldn't have gotten very far." She said, her voice uncertain despite the corners of her mouth turning up faintly. "I'd have found you and…well…I still have the Ragnarok you know…"

Locke gazed at her for a moment, his lips parted in surprise. It took him a moment to piece the joke together and then he was chuckling. He shook his head as he smiled, pinching at the bridge of his nose. At the back of his mind, he couldn't shake the image of Terra appearing out of a cloud of dust and brandishing the holy sword at him.

"I'd rather not be killed, thank you." He chuckled.

Terra giggled, curling a hand at her breast as a broad smile curled her pale lips. Her amethyst eyes sparkled with mirth as the tension between them lifted, only to be replaced by an awkwardness Locke usually only associated with nervous teenagers. He leaned back against the hearth, bracing his hips against the brick as he just gazed at her for a moment, a soft smile on his lips. With a gentle sigh, he extended an arm to her, motioning for her to come to him. She hesitated for the briefest of moments before taking the few steps across the floor with a long stride. She slipped an arm about his waist as he curled his about her shoulders, pulling her close. He let her kiss his cheek before he pressed one into the top of her head, the wet strands tickling his nose. She pressed her face into the crook of his neck and nuzzled hard, pushing him back against the hearth. Locke laughed and pushed her away, rubbing at his neck as she stepped away.

"Come on you. I have an announcement to make." She said brightly, her eyes bright. "You have got to see this."

A smile curled her lips as she extended a hand to him, her fingers poised in wait. He stared at her for a moment, confused by her sudden change of attitude. One moment ago, she'd been a nervous child, and now, she was vibrant and glowing. Something strange was going on with her.

With a slight hesitation, Locke took her hand, allowing her to lead him out the door and into the blinding sunlight. Her fingers were cold in his, despite the heat of the day, her skin tight as though she'd been in the snow. His light mood faded as she looked back at him over her shoulder, her face pale and sunken despite the smile on her lips. He forced a smile to his lips as she called to the others, waving a hand over her head to grab their attention. Surprised to see them together, the adults gathered around them, their faces curious. She released Locke's hand and brushed her hair from her eyes, asking them to wait a moment. She turned and raced up the hill toward her house, her shoulders slumping briefly as a cough escaped her. Locke frowned again as she vanished into the house, leaving her boots on and the door open behind her.

After a few short minutes, Terra reappeared in the doorway, speaking to someone within. A moment later, Einon came out to her, a grinning Jacoby in tow. Taking Einon's hand, Terra led him down the hill, a smile on her face as she rubbed his hand between both of hers. In the time that she'd been in the house, she'd run a brush through her emerald locks, the brilliant strands tumbling about in the breeze now that they were free from their tangles. She turned an excited grin to them as she came to stand before them, gently patting an obviously nervous Einon's hand.

"Everyone," Terra began, her eyes sparkling as she beamed. "I'd like you all to meet someone."

She turned and slipped an arm about Einon's shoulders and came to stand behind him, wrapping her arms about his neck while she planted her chin on the top of his head. The young man blushed, his coppery eyes bright with nerves as he shifted under her grip.

"I'd like you to meet Einon Matthias Branford. My son." Terra said, her face beaming with pride as she gazed at the group.

There was a stunned silence for a moment before someone at the back of the group started clapping. Turning, Locke spotted Oscar standing in Duane's shadow, his face red as he beat his hands together. A second later, they were all clapping as the shock gave way to joy. A cheer went up through the kids as the tiniest of smiles curled the red-headed youth's lips.

"Hi…"The young man stammered. He raised a hand and gave a little wave, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"Ah, a man of few words." Canaan said, rubbing at his chin as he looked the kid up and down.

"Not really," Jacoby said, shrugging his thin shoulders as he stuck his hands in his pockets. "Just shy. Couldn't get him to shut up last night."

Jacoby grinned and reached out to ruffle his new brother's hair as Terra stepped away, grinning at them. Einon scoffed and ducked, brushing away Jacoby's seeking hands. The elder brother laughed and stuck his hands into his pockets once more, settling into his characteristic slouch. Beside him, Einon stood straight, a perfect opposite of his brother his copper hair and fine skin an interesting clash against his brother's dark hair and pasty coloring. They may as well have been the sun and the moon standing there with their mother, the earth, smiling lovingly at them.

Locke chuckled as Terra bent to kiss the top of Einon's head, drawing a groan out of the young man.

"Okay, okay, enough." Katrin called out, drawing the attention away from the new addition. "Newborn or not, we still have work to do."

There were chuckles among the adults as Katrin began passing out orders to the children while Duane started handing out tools. Locke stayed behind, just watching the group as he tried to sort out the ball of confusion that had formed in his chest in the last few minutes. He watched as Jacoby patted Einon on the back and led him over to the line for tools, explaining what was going on to the young man as fast as he could.

"Cute, aren't they?" Terra said, drawing him from his thoughts as she came to him, a smile on her face.

"Yeah, you could say that." He replied, his voice oddly flat.

Terra's brow furrowed as she gazed up at him, her amethyst eyes darkening with worry. He sighed and looked away, the knot in his chest curling tighter. Too many things had happened way too fast over the past week and the weight of them suddenly seemed to fall on him from above. He was suddenly tired, and it unsettled him. First the party, then meeting Einon, then Holmes, then the fight and now an adoption. It was just too much.

Sighing, he sat down in the dust, the knot of a headache quickly forming above his left eye. Beside him, Terra asked him if he was okay, and all he could do was grunt in response. No, he wasn't okay. He was exhausted. All he wanted to do at that moment was lay down right there in the dirt and sleep for a few days. Terra knelt down beside him, one hand planted on her lower stomach as she gripped his shoulder with the other. Her brow furrowed as he looked up at her with tired eyes.

"Locke? What's wrong?" She asked, pressing her hand into her stomach.

"Heh…I wish I could explain it." He chuckled cynically. "I'm just really tired. The past few days just caught up with me. And now this."

"Oh, I understand." Terra said, her voice lilting as she sat down beside him, the sun catching in her hair. She bent her knees and wrapped her arms around them, turning her gaze out across the square. "That happened to me last night."

"What did you do?"

"When you didn't come home, I just crashed." Terra answered with a sigh. "I'm still not feeling right. And then…I still hurt sometimes."

"Yeah…I see that."

Locke sighed and reached out to her, resting his hand on the curve of her back and rubbing gently. Terra took a deep breath, the sound rattling faintly in her throat. She closed her eyes and curled her spine against his hand, a faint smile curling her lips.

"Are you having any…trouble?" Locke asked nervously, uncertain if he should even broach the subject.

"No. I'm just…sore." Terra replied with a faint sigh. "Shadow says I should stay off my feet for a few days, but, I can't. Especially now that the rain is coming."

"He's right though." Locke mumbled, still rubbing her back as he looked to her. "You should take it easy until we know what happened."

"I know." She assented, much to his surprise. "The doctor said I was okay, though. She said it was just my courses."

"Terra, you don't…"

"I know. I know." Terra waved a hand at him, cutting him off. Her eyes were pained as she looked to him, a frown on her lips. "I know…but…what else could it be?"

"I don't know, doll face." Locke sighed, rubbing her back a little harder. "Wish I did."

Terra didn't reply. With a sigh, she turned her gaze back to the square, her frown still on her lips. Locke's brow furrowed as he gazed at her a moment longer, his heart heavy with worry. He drew his hand away from her and followed her eyes to the group as they gathered materials. Duane was throwing directions as the ladders were set up against the houses and wood and straw were hauled up to the roofs. Amid the mayhem, Jacoby had coaxed Einon up onto Marian's roof and was handing up tools while Shadow showed the younger man how to lay out tiles and straw.

Locke's forehead pulsed painfully as his headache grew worse. Groaning, he lay back in the dust, covering his face with his hands. Terra shifted on the ground next to him and pressed her wrist to his forehead. She mumbled to herself under her breath and got to her feet, her shadow falling over him as she bent.

"You really should go lie down." She said softly. "You have a bit of a temperature."

"Meh, I'm just tired. I feel fine." Locke soothed, shifting his hands aside so he could look up at her. A soft breeze blew through the square, the air cool against his skin. Terra frowned and straightened, brushing her hair aside as the wind tossed the emerald strands about.

"All right. But if you feel any worse you're going inside." She grumbled, crossing her arms over her small chest. "I won't have you overworking yourself."

"Don't worry about me, doll face." Locke placated, turning a smirk up at her. "I'll sleep like a rock tonight and everything will be fine."

"As long as you're sure." Terra sighed. She extended a hand to him as another gust blew threw the area, signaling the approach of the storm. "We need to get started."

"All right, but I'd like you to tell me something first." Locke said, allowing her to help him to his feet.

"Oh, what?" Terra asked, turning a curious eye to him.

"You have to tell me how it feels; giving birth to a teenager." He offered her a lopsided grin as she gave a hearty laugh, her eyes sparkling.

"Well…it isn't very comfortable. And he was heavy." Terra said brightly as she looked to him. Her eyes twinkled in the warm sunlight as a mischievious dimple formed in her cheek. "Much heavier than his brother. And in the end, the only thing I can think to say on the matter is what I've heard so may others shout at their husbands;…you did this to me you bastard."

Locke laughed heartily as she waggled her eyebrows at him, a blush coloring her fine face. He smiled at her and commented that she should have been screaming that at him. She just chuckled and crossed her arms over her chest, her blush fading as she nodded in agreement.

He bent and brushed the dust from his pants as the throbbing in his forehead worsened, his mirth forgotten. With a nod to her, Locke started across the square, smiling when he heard her follow. He was up on a rooftop within minutes, laying tiles once more as sweat poured down his back. The coming storm had raised the humidity much more than he'd expected and soon his shirt was soaked. He panted weakly as he slipped the last plank into place, his parched throat desperate for a splash of water. Pausing, he looked up towards the horizon, noting that the line of clouds much darker and much closer than they were an hour earlier. Shadow had climbed down from the roof not too long ago, intent on finding Duane to discuss the possibility of the storm making landfall early.

"Hey, wannabe."

"Huh? What?" Locke jumped, startled by the sudden interruption of his thoughts. Looking about, he found Einon at the edge of the roof, one red eyebrow cocked as he turned a smirk to the older man. "Wannabe?"

"Yeah. You dress like a wannabe thief." The kid teased, brushing his unkempt hair out of his eyes.

"I'm not a wannabe anything. And I'm certainly not a thief." Locke frowned, rubbing at the back of his neck again. "I'm a treasure hunter in my free time."

"A treasure hunter?" Einon asked, his coppery eyes brightening. "You mean like a cave diver looking for artifacts?"

"Yeah, I guess you could call it that." Locke shrugged. "I've found a decent share of relics over the past few years."

"Like what?"

"Oh, tons of stuff. My favorite find was a gauntlet that turned out to be over a hundred years old. It's up in my friend Edgar's house right now." Locke explained, confused as to why the kid was suddenly grinning.

"Wow, that's got to be a once in your life kind of thing." Einon said, crossing his arms on the rooftop. "What do you usually find?"

"Oh, nothing special. Mostly uncut star crystals, mithril shards, you know, stuff like that." Locke explained. "Nothing really special."

"It doesn't have to be special to be cool." Einon sighed, giving Locke and exasperated look. "I never understood why something has to be rare or expensive to be amazing."

"Wow, that's the last thing I ever thought I'd hear someone your age say."

"Yeah, I get that a lot." The kid frowned, propping an elbow up on the roof and resting his cheek in his hand. "Anyway, everyone's going to have lunch soon. Do you want some?"

"Yeah, sure." Locke nodded, his stomach rumbling suddenly. He cringed, regretting not having more for breakfast. "Do you know what's for eats?"

"Ma says it'll probably be just veggies since those girls brought a ton in from some garden." Einon replied, picking at the dry straw.

"Oh, that sounds good."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Not a veggie man?" Locke asked, smirking at the kid.

"Not really." Einon shrugged, rubbing at his cheek with a dirty hand.

"My mother used to say that there are things we like and things we are learning to like." Locke chuckled, smirking at the boy. "We don't get much in the way of a choice around here. You'll get used to it."

"Right." The kid sighed again. Einon looked down and bent on the ladder for a moment, hauling up a bucket of water. He smiled faintly as he set the bucket on the roof, careful to not let the water slosh around too much. "Want some?"

"I was just thinking about that." Locke smiled, raising a dusty had to rub at his aching head. He scuttled down the almost complete roof to the bucket, taking the proffered ladle from the young man. He drank eagerly, the cool water heaven in his hot throat. Once he was satisfied, he dropped the ladle back into the bucket and sat back on the thatch.

"You know what kid." Locke said, smiling down at the youth. "You're all right."

"Thanks. I think…" Einon said, raising an eyebrow. Locke laughed despite himself and reached out to ruffle the kid's hair. Einon swatted at him a frown on his lips, though his eyes were bright. "Come on, I'm hungry."

The red head started down the ladder without waiting for a response, his long limbs deftly navigating the rungs much faster than Locke would have thought safe. Locke stayed up on the thatch until he could pass the bucket down to the kid, following him down once the bucket was secure. It was as they were turning towards the meeting hall to wash up that a shout rose from Duane's rooftop. Confused, Locke looked up to find Canaan standing as best he could at the highest point of the roof, one hand raised to shield his eyes from the sun as he looked to the south.

Setting a hand on Einon's shoulder to make him stay, Locke strode to the edge of the square, Setzer meeting him at the edge of the village. The treasure hunter shielded his eyes as he surveyed the uneven plains to the south, trying to spot what had startled Canaan. It took him a moment, but he was able to spot a dust trail rising from an approaching caravan, coming out of Anthem. Locke's heart clenched in his chest and his head throbbed as he watched what could only be a line of carriages traveling along the flattest stretch of earth they could find. There were two of them, each pulled by four grand chocobo in full livery. Could this possibly be Holmes returning just as they feared he would? But no, it couldn't be. Those carriages were much to fancy to belong to a small time crook, and there was no way he could afford eight chocobo of that size.

"That can't be Holmes." Setzer mumbled, echoing Locke's thoughts as they were joined by Shadow and Terra.

"No," Terra breathed. "Look at those chocobo. There's no one around Anthem with chocobo that large."

"Who could it be?" Locke asked of no one in particular. He rubbed at his chin as he watched the carriages round a hill just outside the village lines. But in his chest, his heart stopped when a flash of blue-black paint peaked through the dust on the carriage sides and fine accents of gold sparkled in the sun.

"Question answered." Was all that Shadow said as he pointed toward the approaching carriages.

The bottom of Locke's stomach dropped out as he followed the ninja's pointing finger with his eyes. For there, on the side of the first carriage, fluttering high in the breeze, was the flag of Figaro.

* * *

End Chapter.

I do believe this is where I'm supposed to say: dun dun duuuun! On the note of Shadow: I know that many of you will be confused by my choice of Shadow's ethnicity. The reason I've made this decision is actually because of a friend of mine. He's the only person I have ever seen who actually looks like Shadow (from the cinematics) when he put the mask on. He looked so good that I cannot write the character as anything but a man of dark skin. : ) Kindly review.


	8. Battlefield

**Author's note: **I'm not dead! At any rate, I hope you enjoy it. It took forever to get it out. There are a few comments that I would like to address however the first being that people don't know where the story is going. I thought that was the point of reading: wanting to know what happens next. What's the point of knowing the ending before you finish the story? The second is that my chapters are too long. I can't see how that would be an issue, but please be aware that I'm not going to change my length just because someone think's there's too much. Whatever, just read and let me know what you think. There is a lot of character development in this chapter so it starts really slow. You don't have to tell me, I already know.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Final Fantasy 6.

The Moment Between Us

**Moment Eight:**

Battlefield

**Six years, six days, four hours, two minutes after the death of Kefka Palazzo.**

The banner of Figaro curled violently in on itself as the lead carriage slid to a halt on the edge of the Mobliz town square, its bold blue and green matted and dulled with dust from the plains. The four chocobo at the head of the carriage tossed their grand heads and squawked back and forth with each other as the second carriage pulled in behind the first, its great wheels creaking to a halt. On the driver's bench of the first carriage, a middle-aged man rose from his seat, brushing dust from his hunter green tunic as he took up the flag and crawled down from his perch.

Locke stood a good distance away from the carriages, his heart pounding in his chest as the footman took a handkerchief from inside his tunic and wrapped it about the door handle, carefully drawing it open. The footman peeked inside the carriage's dark interior as Locke raised a hand to brush a patina of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, his skin alive with nerves. What the hell was going on? What reason had Edgar to come all this way? And why two carriages?

"Great Goddess almighty, what's all this about?" Katrin huffed, drawing his attention as she came down the hill, her thumbs hooked through the straps of Bishop's basket. "I've never seen carriages that fancy, let alone Figaro ones. What, did he bring the whole court with him?"

"Doubtful." Setzer mumbled, looking to her from his place beside Locke, a frown on his scarred lips. "But I don't think we'll be finishing the roofs today."

"Oh no." Katrin fumed, crossing her arms over her bosom. "I don't care if he's brought the bloody Goddess Most High with him. We're finishing today, even if it means he gets up there and helps."

"Be careful what you wish for." Terra chuckled, looking to the younger woman from her place beside Setzer. She crossed her arms over her small chest and cocked a hip, her eyes bright with nerves despite the smirk on her lips. "He tried to get up there two years ago, remember?"

"Oh heavens…"Katrin grumbled, rubbing at her forehead in frustration. "Well, we'll put the others to work then. I just hope they've eaten. We don't have much as is."

"There's no reason they shouldn't have stopped for lunch in Anthem." Terra mumbled, raising a hand to chew absently on her nails as she looked back towards the carriages. "Look, I think our company is finally coming out."

"Goody." Locke grumbled as he followed the half-esper's gaze back to the carriages. He squared his shoulders and took a breath, willing this to be a peaceful meeting. After the way he left Figaro, Locke half expected Edgar to come out breathing fire at him.

The footman stepped away from the carriage and dropped the small stair ladder out from inside the door. He straightened his tunic and puffed out his chest as he turned to face the village, his face red beneath the dust of the plains. Edgar appeared in the carriage doorway without the announcement Locke had been expecting from the footman, struggling with his cape beneath the footman's disapproving gaze. The king stepped down out of the carriage with a flourish, his golden hair flashing in the sunlight as he exchanged a few words with the footman. Edgar was shoved aside, however, as a great golden haired shape that could only be Sabin muscled past him and into the open air.

In his chest, Locke's heart skipped a beat as Sabin was followed by Cyan; each taking a moment to stretch before they turned to face the village. And it stopped entirely when another footman aided Relm, Gau, Strago and Celes out from within the second carriage. Locke cursed as a cold sweat broke out across his heated skin, his reaction drawing Terra's attention. The half-esper turned to him, setting a cold hand on his arm as she looked up at him, her brow furrowed with worry. His shoulders slumping, Locke sighed and caught her gaze, patting absently at her hand as someone by the carriages called to them happily. Looking up, Locke found Sabin waving to them as the group came up into the square, a broad grin on the man's face.

"Hey guys!" Sabin called, waving a meaty hand over his head.

"Surprise!" Came Relm's brilliant greeting as she ran up the dusty hill.

Beside him, Terra jerked around to look at Shadow, who stood silently off to the side of the group, his blue painted eyes focused on the carriages. The ninja turned a steady gaze to the emerald haired woman, his arms crossed over his chest. She slipped quickly over to the ninja, motioning up at her house as they exchanged a few short words. Shadow shook his head and mumbled a response, turning his gaze back to the approaching Returners. Terra sighed and shook her head as well, raising a hand to pinch at the bridge of her nose.

Relm shouted another 'surprise' as she crested the hill at the edge of the square, the others trailing far behind her. The broad grin that claimed her lips fell away instantly as she set her eyes on the group, and more specifically on the ninja. She skidded to a halt in the dust, her lips parted in surprise as she blinked at the black clad man. Shadow nodded to her quietly, his movement pulling the painter out of her daze. Relm's smile returned, although it was much softer this time and she nodded in return before turning her attention to the others. The blonde bounced up on her toes when she caught Terra's gaze and held her arms out in greeting. Despite her obvious nervousness, a true grin found Terra's lips and she went forward to hug the young woman.

"Surprise indeed." Terra chuckled as she pressed a kiss into the teen's cheek, her eyes sparkling. "What's brought all of you?"

"Hard to explain." Relm replied, her eyes darkening for a moment. Her eyes brightened a moment later, however, and she jumped up on her toes to wave excitedly as the children came down the hill in a group. At the sight of her, a cry went up among the older girls and they rushed to her in a pack, the platinum haired Emenda leading.

"Mother!" Jacoby suddenly called over the voices of the children. There was a note of alarm in his normally quiet voice that set Locke's heart skipping a beat.

Terra looked up from her place beside Relm, one eyebrow raised in curiosity as she searched for her son. Curious himself, Locke followed her eyes to the meeting hall, where Jacoby was standing beside the closed door, pressing his shoulder into it as though it were barred from within. Beside him, Valda bent, peering in through one of the hall windows, her hands cupped about her eyes to cut out the sunlight. The dark haired woman cursed suddenly and stepped away from the window, shaking her head. She wiped her hands in her apron then raised a hand to wave Terra over, her face flushed from the heat of the day.

"It's your boy!" Valda called across the square as Jacoby heaved against the hall door again.

"Oh. Oh no." Terra breathed, her shoulders slumping as her face drained of what little color it had. "Einon."

The emerald haired beauty pushed her way past the gathered children and ran off towards the meeting hall just as the remainder of the Returners came up into the square. Locke blinked after her for a moment, confused as to what could have happened when it hit him. The carriages, the footman, Einon must have seen them and thought that it was Holmes. The kid had no way of knowing that the village claimed a king among it's list of acquaintances, so naturally, he'd have panicked and locked himself away again.

Without a second thought, Locke turned and followed Terra at a jog, ignoring Edgar when the king called after him. Terra had taken up her elder son's place at the door, one shoulder braced against the wood as she called to Einon through the door. Jacoby turned a frustrated glance at Locke as the treasure hunter approached, his green eyes glassy as he chewed his lip.

"Einon open the door, it's not Holmes." Terra pleaded, beating a fist against the door. She pressed an ear to it and paused for a breath, listening or any sound from within.

"What's going on?"

Locke looked over his shoulder as Sabin jogged towards them, his gold-green eyes curious. The martial artist offered him a confused glance and a raised eyebrow as Terra beat against the door again, a frown on her lips as she called to her new son once more. Locke started to say something when Terra took hold of the door handle and shook it about, grumbling under her breath when she only succeeded in rattling the door in its frame.

"Einon, open the door." Terra moaned, pressing her forehead against the wood. "It's okay. These are our friends."

"Who's Einon?" Sabin questioned. He reached out to Terra, holding out his hand palm up for her to see it before he set it on her forearm. "Terra, what's going on?"

"My son has locked himself inside." The half-esper sighed, turning a saddened glance to the martial artist. She blinked down at his hand on her arm for a moment, her amethyst eyes dull.

"Your son?" Sabin asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked from Terra to Jacoby then back again.

"Oh, I have a new one." Terra said, blinking up at the large man. "He's as skittish as a coney and twice as fast. And now, he's gone and locked us out."

"Why?" Sabin asked, tossing a glance over his shoulder as his brother called to him.

"Long story." Locke mumbled. His head throbbed as he went for the door, gently brushing Terra aside as he pressed an ear to the wood. "We'll explain later."

Locke tried to ignore the feel of Sabin's eyes on his back as he listened through the door. There was no movement on the other side of the door, but the windows were too small for Einon to escape through so the kid had to be inside. Raising a hand, he beat hard on the door twice and listened again. When there was still no sound, Locke sighed and took hold of the heavy iron door latch. He rattled it once, hoping it would be weaker than it looked. When it proved to be strong, Locke grumbled and beat on the door again.

"Hey Kid," He called within, though he knew it was futile. "It's Locke. Unlock the door, friend. Holmes isn't here."

"He won't listen." Jacoby grumbled, gazing past them at the Returners. The group had gathered around Shadow, leaving the man obviously stiff and uncomfortable. After a moment, the ninja turned abruptly and strode away from the mob and was making his way up the hill towards them.

"Of course he won't." Locke grunted, fiddling with the latch once more. "He's a teenager."

"Is there another way in?" Sabin inquired, his brow furrowed as he looked between Locke and Terra.

"No," Terra replied with a frustrated sigh. "If he doesn't unlock the latch, we'll have to break the door down."

"Leave him." Shadow said, cutting off Locke before he could reply. "He is a man, not a boy. When he wants something, he'll come and get it."

Locke blinked as Sabin turned an awed eye to the ninja; his green eyes round as coins. Shadow ignored the martial artist, however and proceeded to the window near Jacoby. The young man stepped aside to allow Shadow access, frowning as he watched the ninja bend and look inward. Without a word, Shadow straightened and turned away, his shoulders stiff as he looked up towards Katrin's house. He whistled loudly, the shrill sound echoing off the house fronts in the hot mid afternoon air. A gruff bark erupted from the side of the porch and Interceptor appeared on the steps a moment later, his tail swishing about amiably as he raised his head in search of the ninja. With another bark, the great hound bounded down the wooden steps, his ears back as he trotted across the hard packed dirt of the square.

Sabin raised an eyebrow as the animal moved past him, his face showing the same surprise Locke had felt when he'd seen Interceptor again for the first time. The canine came and sat at his master's feet, his head tilting back as he raised a paw in curiosity. Shadow set a hand on the hound's head, gently rubbing between the animal's ears before pointing towards the door. Interceptor stood and went to the door, his ears pricking forward as he sniffed at the bottom of the doorjamb, his tail held out stiffly behind him. A moment later, the animal stepped back and looked to his master, his eyes bright. He snuffled and wagged his tail once, fixing his master with a steady gaze.

"He's not going anywhere." Shadow said to no one in particular as he dropped a hand to the dog's head and rubbed in between the perked up ears. "Otherwise Interceptor would be inside right now."

"He's blocked the door?" Sabin asked, incredulous when Shadow nodded. "What's with this kid?"

"Long story." Locke replied, raising a hand to rub at his throbbing forehead.

"Ooh. damnit…" Terra cursed under her breath. She curled her hands into fists at her sides and turned to face them, her eyes sad. "Why me?"

"What in the hell?"

Locke jumped as Celes' voice suddenly rung out across the square, her normally calm soprano shrill. He looked over his shoulder and found her stalking up to them through the dust, her expression nothing short of thunderous. Locke's heart began to pound as she turned a livid glance to him, her eyes like daggers. He backed away, uncertain of what had angered her. Sure, he hadn't gone to greet her, but that couldn't possibly piss her off that much, could it? But, rather than coming to him, Celes squared her shoulders and went straight to Terra. The half-esper took a nervous step back as Celes came to tower over her. The blonde raised a surprisingly gentle hand and took hold of the smaller woman's chin and tilted it to the side, bringing the livid bruise on Terra's pale cheek into full view.

Edgar skidded to a halt in the dust beside Locke, his rich green eyes wide at the red and purple splotch marring Terra's face. Locke's shoulders slumped as Celes gently ran a thumb over the nasty bruise, her stiffness melting away as Terra winced beneath her touch.

"Who hit you?" Celes asked, her voice so barely above a whisper that Locke had to strain to hear her. Beside him, Edgar stiffened again, his big hands curling into shaking fists as he stared at the women.

"It was an accident." Terra sighed just as quietly, slowly taking hold of Celes' hand and drawing it away from her face. "I have a new boy, Celes. He's…he's a piece of work. But, he's not bad."

"I'll be the judge of that." Celes mumbled, curling her fingers about Terra's hand. "You should see your face."

"I have." Terra replied, squeezing the blonde's fingers. "It's nothing that won't heal in a week."

"That may be so, but why did this new boy hit you?" The taller woman demanded, her shoulders stiffening again. "Is he the one who locked himself inside?"

"Yes," Terra nodded, tossing a glance at the closed door. "He's a tough case. But…"

Terra paused and threw a glance at Locke, her amethyst eyes bright as she raised a hand to rub at her bruise. Locke took a sharp breath at the lost look in her eyes.

"But, he really isn't bad, darlin'." Locke cut in, drawing Celes' burning gaze. He offered the blonde a lopsided smirk, his shoulders rising in the faintest of shrugs. "Besides, it really was an accident."

Celes looked at him for a moment, her full lips parted as her eyes clouded with confusion. Taking a breath, she blinked and looked back to Terra, her sapphire eyes gentle as she squeezed at Terra's small hand once more. Leaning forward, the tall blonde pressed a kiss into Terra's uninjured cheek, drawing a smile and a chuckle out of the half-esper.

Beside Locke, the tension in Edgar lifted slightly, leaving him to slump as Celes and Terra took that moment to hug each other in a proper greeting. The king cast a sidelong glance at the treasure hunter, his eyes dark as he sighed. Locke offered Edgar what he hoped was a comforting smile, his heart pounding as he raised a hand in offer. The last time he had seen the king, they had parted on bad terms. He wouldn't blame the man for not shaking his hand. Not in the slightest.

Edgar blinked at the hand for a moment before a faint smirk curled the corner of her mouth and he took hold of the proffered hand, giving it a healthy shake in greeting. Locke's shoulder's slumped in relief as he raised a hand to rub at the back of his head, absently tugging at his sweat soaked bandanna. Despite the dull throb behind his eyes, Locke forced a smile to his lips, chuckling faintly as he caught the king's eye. Edgar nodded somberly as he released Locke's hand, moving past him without another glance as he made for Terra.

Locke sighed and rubbed at the back of his head once more as he watched Edgar tap Celes delicately on the shoulder. The blonde took a step back, a frown on her lips as Edgar pushed past her, intent on examining the bruise on Terra's cheek. Celes' frown deepened as Edgar fretted over the black and red splotch, much to the half-esper's distress. Shaking her head, the tall blonde tossed Locke a glance, her brow furrowing as her gaze fell on him.

"Hey," He muttered, raising a hand in greeting. She just looked at him for a moment, her eyes thoughtful. But, shaking her head, she turned away and made for Katrin, raising a hand as she called to the woman.

The treasure hunter hung his head with a sigh and stuffed his hands into his pockets. He couldn't say that he was surprised that she wasn't willing to speak with him at that moment. Locke hadn't said anything to her before he'd left Figaro last week. He'd just grabbed his pack and run out of the castle, hoping Setzer hadn't left without him. Yeah, he'd admit it, he was wrong to run off without telling her he was leaving. But, what was he supposed to have done? Waited and come here with everyone else? Well yes, he supposed that's exactly what he should have done. But, he hadn't thought about it then. He hadn't thought about Celes' feelings. In all honesty, he hadn't cared. He'd just wanted to get to Mobliz so badly that he hadn't even taken the second to think about the repercussions. But then, he'd never made a point of thinking about the consequences of his actions in the first place, so this was nothing new.

"Edgar, stop." Terra grumbled, cutting Locke's train of thought. He looked up to find Terra take a step away from the handsome king, her eyes hard as she held her hands out before her to keep him away. "It's fine, honestly. All he did was elbow me in the face when I grabbed him, that's all."

"Terra I…" The king murmured as she turned away, making for the closed door again, annoyance written across her fine face. "Just let someone look at it."

"Shadow already has. He says I'm fine." The emerald-haired woman growled, her hands clenching into fists at her sides.

"Yes, Shadow…" Edgar mumbled, raising a hand to rub at his chin. He crossed an arm over his broad chest and cast his gaze to the black clad man standing beside the meeting hall window.

Shadow ignored the king, keeping his blue painted eyes on the hound at his feet. Interceptor panted with contentment as Shadow reached down to set a hand on his head and rub at his ears. The animal fixed Edgar with a steady calculating stare even as he continued to pant, a canine smile painted across his face.

"Talking of which," Edgar continued, keeping his eyes on the ninja. "I'd like to know why you never told us you were alive."

"Perhaps you should leave me to my own business and tell us why you've come." Shadow fired back calmly, fixing the king with an unnervingly even stare. "Since you've come unannounced, it seems to me that you should be the one explaining yourself."

Locke cringed. The last thing they needed was for Shadow to spark an argument. Edgar and Shadow had never gotten along very well at all, and it was all too easy for the ninja to infuriate the king with so little as a passing glance.

Edgar stared at the ninja, his green eyes unblinking as a frown dragged down the corners of his lips. Shadow was silent beneath the gaze of the king, his own gaze unwavering. Locke could taste the tension in the air as the silence stretched, their dislike of each other a sour tang on the tip of his tongue. His brow furrowed as he watched Edgar's hands clench into fists at his sides. The blonde man took a deep breath to calm his frustration with the dark clad assassin before unclenching his fists and forcing the corners of his lips to upturn slightly.

"Do I need a reason to visit with my friends?" Edgar questioned, his voice unnervingly light as he raised a hand to brush a stray strand of gold from his fair face. "When last I checked, Terra's friends were welcome here in Mobliz."

"And they still are." Terra interrupted, turning to face them once more. Her amethyst eyes were hard as she crossed her arms over her chest. "We just weren't expecting a visit from everyone at once."

"Yeah," Locke mumbled, rubbing at the back of his neck as Edgar's gaze flew to him once more. "It's not all that easy to get here and, seeing you all at once and with those carriages…it makes it look like something's wrong."

"Wrong?" Sabin piped in, turning his gaze to Locke before dropping it to the dust at his feet. "Well…not exactly…"

"What do you mean?" Setzer asked, appearing at Locke's side. The pilot raised a hand to brush is long hair away from his scarred face before fixing the royal twins with a hard gaze. "What's happened?"

Edgar sighed and looked away, rubbing at his elbow as he gathered his thoughts. Bedside him, Sabin frowned and crossed his arms over his chest, his strong form exuding uncertainty. Then, looking up, Edgar turned his attention to Terra once more. Terra blinked at him in confusion, something in his expression furrowing her brow.

"New Vector has just declared sovereignty." Edgar said softly, his voice sounding almost meek.

Terra paled.

-ooo-

Terra couldn't keep her hands from shaking as she set the teapot on the table. She bit her lip as she pulled her hands away from the chipped porcelain, praying that Edgar, Cyan and Sabin had not noticed the quiver. The three of them sat patiently around the coffee table in her small den while the others hovered around the edges of the room, their faces solemn as they waited for the discussion to begin. But, truth be told, Terra wished that it never would. It was a lot to swallow, this news that New Vector was now a sovereign nation. The thought sent a shudder of both fear and revulsion up her spine.

As disturbed by the news as she was, she had to admit that it didn't come as much of surprise. She'd known for three years now that New Vector would gain its independence and step away from the aid of both Figaro and the still young Republic of Jidoor, but that knowledge didn't ease her fear. The possibility that New Vector would follow in the footsteps of its namesake was small, but it still hung in that back of her mind like a drape over a window. But, who was to say what manner of man would come to lead this new nation in the future? Or what decisions he would make or even if the nation could last on it's own? The whole mess made her head hurt.

Terra mentally shook herself and took a breath to try and calm her shakes. Stepping back from the table, she gently wiped her hands on her newly donned apron and cast a glance at each of the faces about the room. Most of the faces were glum as they met her gaze, the stress of this new happening hanging over them like a dark cloud. Relm sat on the floor at her grandfather's feet, her hand working gently at Interceptor's neck as she waited, her eyes down cast. Beside her, Strago sat slumped in his chair, gently sipping at the cup of tea Terra had poured him before she set the pot on the table. Shadow stood beside them in the doorway of Jacoby's room, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched Relm pet the canine at his feet.

"Ah, that's good." Strago said appreciatively after taking a gracious sip from his chipped teacup. "The best."

"Indeed." Edgar concurred as he poured himself a cup. "There's nothing like a Mobliz blend."

"You're sweet." Terra smiled, flinching inwardly at the quiver in her voice. "But, I much prefer Doman teas."

"You're one of the few." Cyan joined, a faint smile curling his lips as he too poured himself a cup. "Our teas tend to be too bitter for most people."

"It weeds out the weak." Sabin kidded, passing up on the tea for a cup of water. Cyan chuckled amiably, his smile growing as he set his cup aside to cool.

A faint smile curled Terra's lips as she turned away, clenching her hands as the shaking eased slightly. Turning, she went to the hearth where she'd set a loaf of bread out to warm before she could set it out for the pickings. She sighed as she picked up the heated plate, her chill hands reveling in the warmth of the heavy earthenware. Sabin offered her a broad smile as she bent to set it on the coffee table, his eyes lighting as he put out a hand to help her guide it to the table top.

"Is this the dark wheat?" He asked, his eyes hopeful as he turned an eye to the dark red crust. At her nod, his smile grew. "My favorite. Do we have a knife?"

"Oh, yes, hold on." Terra replied, but, before she could turn to fetch one, her finest bread knife appeared on the plate along with a bar of butter that Edgar had brought with him from Figaro.

"Thank you, Gau." Sabin said as he set to cutting the loaf into slices.

Gau nodded and turned a sweet smile to Terra before returning to the kitchen to fill a small cup for himself from the water bucket. Her heart warmed as he returned, his hazel eyes bright as he took a small plate with a bit of bread and butter to Strago, offering the elderly man a handsome slice. The man gratefully accepted a slice and patted Gau on the arm for his kindness, the small action setting the once wild young man beaming brightly.

"Sorry everyone." Celes' voice chimed as she came in through the door, joining them at last. "Have we started yet?"

"No, we just sat down for tea." Edgar replied, as he was closest to the door. The blonde turned a smile down to him, raising a hand to toss her hair over her shoulder.

"Oh good." She breathed offering a gentle smile.

A faint smile curled Terra's lips as Celes swept into the room, her eyes bright and her face red. In the time that it had taken for the Returners to gather here in Terra's tiny house and for it's emerald-haired owner to brew the tea, the ex-general had taken the time to greet the villagers and be introduced to Katrin's new baby. Celes had spent several minutes cooing over the baby and playing with him, drawing great gasping giggles from the little one all the while.

"Oh Goddess, he's just like his father." Celes muttered offhandedly as she took a cup down from a cabinet and filled it from the bucket. "Nothing but laughs."

"I'm glad to hear it." Terra said, turning a faint smile to the other woman. "He wasn't feeling well earlier."

"Sorry to interrupt ladies, but, now that we're all here, perhaps we can begin?" Cyan suggested, reclining comfortably in his chair.

"Yes, let's." Edgar agreed, finishing off a slice of bread and rubbing his hands on his breeches. "Is everyone ready?"

There were nods around the room as the attention turned to the young king, most leaning forward to get a better look at him. Celes snatched up her cup and a slice of bread and took a seat at the dining table beside Strago, delicately crossing her legs as she turned to face Edgar. Across the room, Locke hung his head, silent as the grave. He hadn't said a word since they'd adjourned here to Terra's den and had been content to take a seat on Einon's new bed, which had been placed against the wall between the den and Terra's bedroom.

Terra frowned as Locke raised a hand to rub at the back of his head for what had to be the ninetieth time that day. His headache wasn't getting any better and she was starting to worry about him. The treasure hunter had had a slight temperature that morning and she feared that with all the work he'd been doing, it would worsen throughout the day. He needed an infusion of lemon and a place to lie down, but with the sudden appearance of the Returners and this news of New Vector, resting was out of the question. Terra's heart sunk in her chest as Edgar began to explain the ties between Figaro and New vector, but she tuned him out, keeping her eyes on Locke as he rubbed as he slouched, his shoulders hunching forward. Beside him on the bed, Setzer had an eye on Locke as well, his mouth set into a thin line as though he expected Locke to pass out.

"…they've been so friendly during relations that I don't feel that we've any reason to worry. But my opinion isn't why I wanted us all together." Edgar explained, leaning forward on the sofa. "I want your opinions on the situation."

"Edgar, the men in your council are the ones you should be going to for advice, not us." Strago spoke up, his watery eyes gentle as he looked to the king. "Many of us have no way of understanding the inner workings of politics and anything we would suggest you do may very well ruin you as a leader."

"He's right, brother." Sabin agreed, propping an elbow on his knee as he looked to the elder twin. "Even I don't understand it. With some nobles, saying hello and being polite to them on the street could be the most heinous thing we could ever do to insult them."

"It does seem like that sometimes doesn't it?" Edgar laughed, turning a broad smile to his brother. His expression turning serious once more, Edgar turned his gaze across the room to their elderly friend. "That's why I'm asking you. I need to know how to approach this without all the pomp and circumstance. At this point in time, they've elected a representative who may one day become their king. He's a young leader, like I am, so I want to meet him on even ground. I don't want to scare the poor man."

"Who is he?" Celes inquired, keeping her eyes focused on Edgar. "Have we heard of him?"

"I don't think so, his name is Jonathan Morgan. He's the equivalent of a nobody right now. The only reason he was elected as representative is because he was the first to step up and suggest asking for help from Jidoor and Figaro. Since that worked out so well, I guess they figured he'd make more good international decisions." Edgar paused and sipped at his tea. "He has no noble blood that I'm aware of so I'd rather meet with him on friendly terms rather than political ones. But, I just don't know how to go about doing it."

"Edgar, you're one of the friendliest people I know, just be you." Relm piped up from her place on the floor. She offered him a winning smile and rubbed at Interceptor's side.

"I wish it were that simple." Edgar chuckled, raising his hands to rub at his face.

"Maybe." Gau muttered from his place standing beside Strago. All eyes shifted to the normally silent young man, who blushed brightly.

"I'm sorry?" Edgar questioned, raising an eyebrow in honest curiosity as he looked to the young man.

"Well...hrm..."Gau began, raising a hand to tug at the color of his fine linen shirt. "Maybe…maybe it…can be."

"Explain." Edgar encouraged, a faint smile curling at his lips. But, despite Edgar's kind gaze, Gau just blushed and quieted.

Terra bit her lip as she watched the young man. Even after six years of living in the civilized world, Gau still struggled with everything. Having lived a good portion of his life away from other humans, his views were so blunt and simplistic that many people found him amusing or ridiculous. Taking a breath, she turned to him, smiling as she nodded.

"Go ahead." She said softly, drawing his hazel gaze. "Please, we want to know."

Gau chewed his lip for a moment and raised a hand to tug gently on his long bound tail of olive colored hair. His brow furrowed with nerves as he watched her, his eyes searching her face. After a moment, he nodded and looked back to Edgar who sat with a hopeful expression. Beside Edgar, Sabin leaned forward on the sofa cushions, a broad encouraging smile on his lips as he waited for his protégé to speak.

"Well… it…maybe it can be easy…"The young man began, blushing at his slow speech. He dropped his gaze to the floor and continued to tug on the collar of his shirt. "Go to an even place and be men, not kings."

"An even place?" Cyan inquired, running his fingers over his mustache.

"Yes, sir." Gau muttered, glancing up at the knight. "Some place that's…even…. go somewhere no one owns. Like…like…"

"Neutral ground." Terra said softly, his idea dawning on her. "Gau, that's a wonderful idea."

"I'm not sure I follow." Edgar mumbled, blushing at his lack of understanding.

"He means that you and this Jonathan Morgan should meet on neutral ground. Somewhere where neither of you are kings. Perhaps in another kingdom?" Terra explained, her face growing hot as Edgar's eyes bored into her. Nearby, Gau nodded excitedly, smiling broadly when Relm patted him on the leg.

"Somewhere you can just be men." Relm furthered, her eyes bright as she turned another winning smile to Edgar.

"Capital idea." Cyan said brightly, turning an approving nod to Gau, who continued to beam. "But, where?"

"Hm…Setzer?" Celes said thoughtfully, turning her sapphire gaze to the gambler. Setzer raised his head, turning his attention to the lovely blonde, his eyes veiled. "What production is the opera house putting on right now?"

"Their current is ending shortly, but next month they'll be performing the tale of the triad." Setzer explained calmly, rubbing at his chin. "Maria will be playing the Goddess Most High for the first time."

"She's not the lead?" Celes questioned, honest surprise in her eyes.

"No," Setzer replied, shaking his head. "The three leads have to be played by young girls. Maria is too old. Truth be told she's past the point of excited for it. It's a highly acclaimed role. That and, her son Marcus will be performing."

"He's only seven though." Celes argued, gently tucking a stray strand of gold behind her ear.

"Yes, but he's also a genius. Besides, it's a small role. He'll be playing the page." Setzer explained, his trademark smirk curling his lips. "I have faith in him. At any rate, she's right. The opera is a fine place to meet. The impresario would be glad to aid you. And the story is as neutral as can be."

"So, what, are you suggesting I invite Mr. Morgan to the opera and meet with him there?" Edgar asked, his voice both intrigued and cautious as to the idea.

"It doesn't sound too terrible to me." Terra offered, her heart suddenly speeding up in her breast as the gathered eyes turned to her. She mentally berated herself for saying anything. It was so easy for her to forget how simple her life had become and often times what would please her proved to insult those used to more fanciful things. It happened all the time to her in Anthem. "I mean…I…what if you just offered it as more of a friendly invitation rather than a political one?"

"What's wrong with it, Edgar?" Sabin asked, his brow furrowed as he looked to his brother.

"It's just such an unusual idea." Edgar explained, his own brow furrowing. "I don't want to make it seem like meeting with him isn't important to me."

"It is important though," Relm soothed, her eyes gleaming as her expression turned gentle. "That's why you would be inviting him to an opera rather than a tavern or restaurant."

"Yes, and like I said, the impresario would be glad to aid you. He would give you more then just seats. He'd put you over the stage, provide you with a full meal, wine, anything." Setzer added, propping his elbows up on his knees. " Though, may I suggest inviting Lady Eileen along as well? She's the head of the Jidoor senate, and since this will be happening in her country, it might be a good idea to have her along."

"Yes, but then wouldn't she want it to be a grand affair?" Edgar inquired, his voice stressed.

"I doubt it." Setzer replied with a shrug. "From what I hear, she is a very understanding woman. Just explain the situation. She's a grandmother, Edgar, the last thing she'll want is a big to do."

"Hmmm…well..."

"Edgar, would you like someone to go with you?" Celes asked, a gentle smile curling her lips. "You don't have to do it alone."

"Yeah, bro." Sabin smiled, clapping his brother on the shoulder. "I'll go with you. I'm not a total disaster."

"Heh, well…" Edgar thought it over for a moment, sipping at his tea while the others watched and waited.

Terra leaned against the kitchen counter, her arms crossed over her chest as she watched Edgar think. The young king bit his lip as he stared into his now empty cup of tea, his hunched posture reminding her immediately of Jacoby. The thought of her son got her looking out the still open front door, her eyes falling on the shut door to the meeting hall and the children gathered around Katrin's porch, munching away happily on their lunches.

She hoped Einon would come out soon. He hadn't had much in the way of a breakfast and he'd been working pretty hard all morning. With any luck, he'd have the sense to take down some bread at least and eat that rather than just go hungry. He was much to thin for Terra's taste as it was and she didn't like the thought of him skipping a meal.

"All right." Edgar said at last, drawing her attention back to him. "I'll do it, but on one condition. You all come with us."

"Huh?" Locke suddenly piped up for the first time. "But, why?"

"Because even though six years have past, we're still the Returners." Edgar explained, flushing. "If nothing else it's the hero aspect."

"I don't think the hero aspect is necessary for this, Edgar." Celes chuckled, waving her hands in front of her to emphasize her point.

"Well, maybe not. But I think this whole thing would look better if I was inviting him to join myself and my friends rather than just me." Edgar explained, his eyes pleading with them. And Terra had to wonder if he was doing this for Morgan or just for himself. "And well, I think having you along, Celes, being who you are would be good."

"You mean as an example." Celes said, her voice hardening as her figure stiffened. Her eyes narrowed as she looked to him and Terra's heart froze up in her chest.

Across the room, Edgar stiffened as well, the weight of his words suddenly dawning on him. He straightened and held his hands out before him, knowing she'd taken his meaning the wrong way.

"No, not like that." He said, his face reddening further as he eyes begged her. "Not at all. I meant that with your knowledge of politics you'd be a good asset. And you're so good when it comes to nobles."

Celes continued to glare at him, her eyes icy and hard as she sat straight in her chair.

"He means you're a smart woman." Cyan suddenly cut in, bluntly explaining Edgar's veiled meaning. "Noblemen find you impressive and enjoy your presence. You know how nobles can be, especially the men."

"So, you want me there to charm him." Celes grumbled, still not appeased.

"Yes," Terra interrupted her voice blunt. She wasn't going to have them argue in her house. "That's exactly what he wants. You know better than anyone how this world views women. Celes, you can make a man listen to you with a snap of your fingers. And not only that, but when you speak you have something to say."

Celes looked to her, her eyes softening as they only would for Terra. A faint smile curled Terra's lips as her heartbeat slowed to a more reasonable level. Taking a breath, she held onto Celes' gaze and continued.

"It would be a boon to Edgar's cause to have you there with him. When Edgar can't find something to say to Mr. Morgan, you will. And yes, I know it hurts, Celes. But Edgar also needs you there because you were a general. The sight of you so ready for peace might make it easier for Morgan to talk with Edgar."

"Well, I still don't like it." Celes sniffed, crossing her arms over her chest, though most of her anger had subsided.

"No one said you had to." Terra stated, planting a hand on her hip. "But, it's the truth."

"Hm…well…. I suppose." Celes said thoughtfully. "But let's think this through a little bit before we make any decisions."

"Agreed." Edgar breathed, his shoulders slumping with relief now that the tension had been quelled. "Good idea, Gau."

Gau beamed at the young king, who offered a truly grateful smile in return. Terra sighed and rubbed at the front of her hip, a dull ache suddenly forming in her lower belly. She bit her lip as she looked at the gathered faces. They had taken that moment of quiet to fetch themselves more tea and bread, much more relaxed now that the discussion had ended. But, Terra didn't share in their relaxation; there was still an underlying tension in the room that set her nerves on fire. She rub absently at her aching belly, her fingers moving in tiny circles, hoping that no one would notice the small movement.

"So, Terra." Cyan said easily, leaning back in his seat. "Tell us about your new boy."

"Yeah, how'd you get a new one?" Sabin piped up, looking to her with bright eyes.

Terra stiffened as the gathered sets of eyes turned to her, the sudden attention setting her heart pounding in her chest. She chuckled faintly beneath the pressure and wiped her hands on her apron again. Taking a breath, she explained what little she knew about him, omitting the part of the story involving Thackery Holmes being after Einon to repay his parents debt. They were not pleased at all with the tale of Einon's personality and outright upset when she told them of how she'd come to have a bruised cheek. She couldn't blame them for their anger though; hearing herself tell the tale upset her a little as well.

"Why'd you keep him around?" Celes asked, incredulous after hearing the tale. "I'd have dumped him back in Anthem long ago."

"Hear, hear." Edgar agreed with her, fixing Terra with a cool gaze that sent a chill up Terra's spine.

"Yes, I know." Terra sighed, rising a hand to rub at her temples. She allowed her eyes to slip closed for a moment as her stomach gave a particularly harsh throb. "But, he just needed to crack. And, now that he has, he really is a good boy."

"I have to agree." Setzer entered, drawing their gaze away from the emerald-haired woman. "Einon needs a good helping of honest discipline, but already he's changed a good deal."

"He's smart too." Locke mumbled, his voice tired as he stared into his lap. "Got kind of excited when I told him I was a treasure hunter."

"Every teenage boy loves the thought of treasure." Cyan said offhandedly, brushing the comment aside.

"No, it was the history." Locke said, looking up. He rubbed at his chin as Cyan looked to him, the other's looking over as well. "I told him about the gauntlet I gave you Edgar. He was pretty impressed."

"I'm not surprised." Terra said, raising a hand to brush a stray strand of hair away from her face. "He was asking me about the few relics I keep last night. Wanted to know where they came from, who discovered them, how old they were; you get the idea."

"Intelligence does not denote a good personality." Strago added mildly, gently curling his mustache about his fingers.

"He is good, Strago." Terra soothed, turning away to peek out her kitchen window, almost expecting to see the object of her thoughts hiding out behind her house again.

"Then why did he shut himself up like a hermit?" The old man inquired, turning his gaze to her.

"He…he has issues…"Terra tried to explain. How could she explain her son's behavior without telling them about Holmes? If they found out about the crook, Edgar would go off half-cocked about the whole nonsense and leave Terra cleaning up the resulting mess.

"Like…?" Sabin encouraged, motioning with a hand for her to continue.

"Like the kind of things that need to stay within a family only." Setzer interrupted, drawing the attention to himself. The tension in the room tightened as all eyes turned to him, only to be met with Setzer's typical calm smirk.

"Yes," Terra sighed, raising a hand to rub at her cheek. "Let's just leave it at that, all right? It's really nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, he's just new." Locke added tiredly. "Let him work the kinks out before you judge him. You haven't even met the kid yet."

"They have a point." Relm entered, her voice soft as she rubbed at Interceptor's broad side. "You're all so fast to jump up and accuse someone so quickly these days."

The room was silent for a moment in the light of Relm's comment, their eyes downcast with shame. Terra frowned once more and stared at the scuffed floorboards beneath her bare feet, not enjoying the cloud of tension hanging in her living room.

"Can you blame us, though?" Celes spoke up, turning a soft eye to Relm. "Look at Terra's face."

"It is pretty nasty isn't it?" Terra chuckled lightly, raising a hand to gently finger her battered cheek.

"Nasty as a bar fight, little lady." Sabin laughed, adopting the lofty accent most people in Figaro's outlying territories were known for.

The accent got Terra laughing along with him, and a moment later the fit of amusement had passed around the room to each of them, save for Locke, who continue his hunched posture.

"Come to think of it, though," Sabin continued, dropping the accent. "I can't imagine you in a bar fight, Terra."

"I steer clear of bars as is, Sabin." Terra said, her voice light as she smiled. "I can't imagine being in one in the first place."

"That's an interesting image for you." Sabin said thoughtfully, rubbing at his chin as he smirked. "Terra sitting at a counter, ordering from the barkeep."

"Nothing more diabolical than a sasparilla, I assure you." Terra giggled, fingering her cheek once more.

"I can't remember the last time I had one of those." Strago said thoughtfully, tugging gently on his whiskers.

"A whole history of time, I assume." Relm teased, turning a cheeky grin to her grandfather, who simply shook his head and chuckled.

"Hush, you." The old man mumbled, gently patting her on the head.

"Mother? In a bar?"

Terra turned to find her eldest son, Jacoby, poked his head in through the door, one thin eyebrow raised in curiosity as he looked back and forth between Terra and the rest of the group. His hair was mussed and damp with sweat and his face was dirty with thatch. He offered her a crooked smile as he kicked his tattered boots and entered the house, a covered basket in his hands. A cry of greeting went up around the room, Edgar reaching over to pat the young man on the back as he came in.

"Sorry, didn't mean to run off like that." Jacoby explained, absently tossing his head to get his damp hair away from his eyes. "But, we still can't get into the kitchen, so we had to make lunch at Marian's."

"He's still not out?" Terra questioned, surprised at her youngest son's resilience.

"No," Jacoby sighed, shaking his head as his shoulders slumped. "I don't expect him to be much longer, though. Tough as he is, he didn't eat much for breakfast. He'll be hungry soon."

"One can hope." Setzer spoke up from his place beside Locke. He nodded to the basket in Jacoby's hand raising an eyebrow. "What have you got?"

"Lunch, if anyone's hungry." The younger man said, a lopsided grin curling his lips. He came across to the kitchen, offering Terra a tiny, knowing smirk as he offered her the wicker basket. She took it from him gratefully, wondering briefly where they had managed to rustle up the extra food.

Terra thanked him and pulled the cotton drape away from the basket, revealing it to be full of fresh vegetables from the garden the children took care of. Three plump tomatoes, a head of lettuce and several carrots greeted her, as well as a few other odds and ends. Her stomach rumbled angrily as she set the basket down on the worn wooden counter, eying the plump tomatoes within. Jacoby set a cut board and knife out for her before reaching out to take a plate down for her to place the slices upon.

"Seeing those makes me want cheese." Jacoby teased, wrinkling his nose at her.

"Well, we can always try again." Terra said, offering him a small smile.

Cheese did sound lovely. But, the last time they had tried to make some for themselves, they had ended up with nothing but sour milk and the task of airing out the stable for a week. Terra was hesitant to try again, but the thought of a fine sharp cheese was enough to brush the fear of soured milk from her mind.

"We brought some, actually." Sabin piped up from his place on the sofa. "Cheddar, from Nikeah."

"I'll get…" Gau said softly. He stepped away from the table, brushing his hands on his cotton shirt as he made for the door, his olive hair flashing in the sunlight as he strode away from the house, leaving his boots behind.

"Oh, butter and cheese?" Terra questioned, blushing faintly. "You didn't have to."

"Ah, it looked too good to pass up." Sabin chuckled, waving her off with a meaty hand.

"It was a good price too," Celes piped up, turning a kindly smile to the emerald haired woman. "Don't worry about it, we bought several. It's no trouble. I couldn't resist buying some myself."

At this, Locke raised his head, turning a tired glance to his lover. The lovely blonde ignored him, keeping her eyes on Terra. The half-esper bit her lip and dropped her gaze for a moment, staring down at the cut board on the counter before her. Picking up the knife, Terra nodded quietly and set it into the crisp tomato, a faint smile tugging her lips as its juice spilled out onto the wood.

A moment later, Gau appeared in the doorway, a medium sized wheel of cheese tucked under his arm. Terra smiled as Gau tossed the wheel to Jacoby, who caught it with deft hands and set it on the counter beside his mother. Terra finished with the tomatoes and set them on the plate, placing chopped carrots and bits of lettuce beside them, as prettily as she could. She was turning to the cheese when Duane poked his head in through the door, a smile plastered on his face as he greeted the Returners in turn, his eyes bright.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we need to get started again, that storm is maybe an hour off." The farmer explained, looking to Terra. "But, I'm afraid there won't be enough time today too get up on your roof, Terra."

"Oh well." The half esper replied with a delicate shrug as she placed slices of cheese on the plate. "I haven't had any problems with it, so it may not need repairs."

"I'd still like to get up there and take a look though," Duane frowned, his brow furrowing as he glanced upwards to the ceiling.

"I can do it when the rain stops." Terra stated, her voice final as she set her knife down. She looked to him, not surprised to see him still looking up at her ceiling. Catching his attention, she continued. "Give me just a few minutes to eat and get our guests settled, and then I'll be back out to help."

"Don't worry about us, Terra." Celes said, rising from her seat and rubbing her palms against her breeches. "We stopped for lunch in Anthem and we can go back there for the evening."

"The falcon is just outside the village, why don't you stay there?" Setzer suggested, much to Terra's surprise. The gambler raised an eyebrow to her and winked, a faint smirk curling his lips. "That storm is going to make travel nasty. Only a fool would take those carriages out in the rain without a road."

"He's right," Edgar entered, his eyes bright as he glanced between Setzer and the rest of the group. "We could fell the chocobo in the mud. It's loose soil and rock from here to Anthem, the last thing we need is to have one of them slip and break something."

"I'd feel better if you were close as well." Terra said softly, a faint smile curling her lips as Celes approached her, snagging a bit of cheese from the plate as she bumped her hip into the smaller woman's. "That storm looks nasty."

"Yes, but looks can be deceiving…" Cyan said sagely, fingering his chin.

"But…"Terra started, turning to face the knight on the sofa. She stopped herself before she could continue, remembering Celes' presence at her side. Terra knew for certain just how nasty the coming storm was going to be; but explaining that could open a can of worms she didn't want to deal with.

"It's all right, Cyan." Duane soothed, turning a smile to the man. "We have enough food to look after you all for a week or so. Besides, I'd just like to play it safe. Humor me?"

"As you wish, Sir Duane." Cyan said with a soft smile, tugging absently on his mustache as he spoke.

"Anyway, I have to go." Duane said, nodding to Terra. "See you in a few?"

"Yes, shortly." Terra nodded in response, nibbling at a bit of carrot. Turning, she faced the rest of the Returners, her brow furrowed. "I'm sorry, you've appeared at the busiest time of the summer for us."

"It's all right." Edgar said with a gentle smile. "We can always help around to make up for it."

"Yeah, what's left? Your house and Valda's right?" Relm asked, rubbing at Interceptor's chin as he tried to lick at her face.

"Yes, and Valda's will be finished soon." Terra replied, tucking a piece of tomato on a slice of bread. She took a bite and added a slice of what proved to be fine cheese indeed. It was divine.

"But, I'm sure mine doesn't need any work, it's been doing fine." She continued, finishing off her small lunch.

"Then we'd better get back to work." Locke entered, getting up from his place on Einon's bed. He ignored Celes when she looked to him, his eyes unreadable as he crossed the room to slip his boots back on. "I'll see you out there."

"Don't you want something to eat?" Terra inquired, shocked by his sudden desire to leave.

"No, I'm fine." Locke said, offering her a toothy, yet weak grin. "I'll catch up at dinner."

"Locke, you've been going all day. You need to..." Terra stopped however when Jacoby came and put a hand on her arm, ignoring Celes' confused glance. The young man shook his head at his mother, signaling for her to stop.

With a sigh, Terra let Locke go, her shoulders slumping with frustration when he vanished out the door. Less than a second later, Shadow followed without a word, Interceptor rising to follow. Relm pouted when the great hound followed his master out the door, crossing her arms and blowing a free strand of her summer gold hair away from her fine face. The artist turned a bored glance up at her grandfather before pushing herself up from the floor, brushing her hands on her pants before coming into the kitchen and snatching a bit of lettuce up from the plate beside Terra. She turned a cheeky grin to both Terra and Celes as she gnawed away at the leafy vegetable, her eyes bright.

"So," Relm said, finishing her bit of lettuce. "What can we do to help?"

"Well, um…I'm not directing this year, but I'm sure Katrin can find something for you to do." Terra said, a faint blush coloring her cheeks when Relm chuckled.

"Not the queen bee for once?" Relm questioned with a giggle.

"No, not this time." Terra smiled. "I have enough on my hands with my new boy."

"Oh, is he a terror? Does he look like you? You know, like Jacoby does?" Relm smiled broadly when Jacoby choked on a bit of carrot and got Celes laughing.

"No, he doesn't." Terra chuckled, a cloud of stress lifting from her heart when the others laughed as well. "And he's more of a stick in the mud than a terror."

"Oh, a muddy stick huh?" The artist said with a none too kindly grin. A mischievous glint found her eyes as she rubbed her hands together and hunched up her shoulders. "My favorite."

"Be nice to him, Relm." Terra chuckled, picking up the plate of vegetables and taking it to the table where the others immediately began picking at it despite their earlier lunch. "He'll come out of his funk sooner or later."

"Yeah, once we've had our fun." Relm giggled, bumping her hip into Jacoby's. The young man grinned and bumped back, his eyes brightening when and idea overcame him.

"Relm, I need your help." He said suddenly. When the artist blinked at him in confusion he took her by the arm and began leading her towards his little closet of a room, explaining about the letter he'd received not too long ago from a gentlemen friend back in Figaro. A minute later, a fit of giggles erupted from the room, accompanied by Jacoby's own chuckles.

"What was that all about?" Sabin asked, pointing in the direction of Jacoby's now closed door.

"Oh, Jacoby got a letter from a certain friend he made in Figaro a few days ago." Terra explained, a broad smile curling her lips as she thought about how happy Jacoby had been when he was around the young man who had written the letter. Bertrand was such a nice young man, and seemed like a good match for her son.

"Oh, heaven help us." Strago groaned, though a tiny smile curled his lips.

"I don't think heaven has enough strength." Terra joked, her mood lifting.

"Well, we can still ask for it." Edgar chuckled, looking towards the open door and the thick line of storm clouds just on the edge of the horizon. "I'm off to find Katrin and some work."

"I think I'll be off with you," Cyan said, rising from his seat. "I've been cramped in a carriage too long."

Terra smiled as the others rose and followed Edgar out the door, each pausing outside to tuck their boots on before heading down the hill. Jacoby joined them a moment later, his face pink from his conversation with Relm. Strago, however, remained behind, comfortable in his seat after the long and bumpy trip. Relm and Gau hung back as well, each ensuring that the old man had a plate of vegetables and a full cup of tea.

"Enough." Strago scoffed through a smile. "I'm well, curse you."

"Well enough to be arguing, I know, I know." Relm sighed, "But, it was a long trip and I worry about your legs. And with that storm coming, your aches are going to get worse."

"My legs are fine." Strago grumbled as Relm bent and wrapped a blanket she retrieved from the sofa about the man's legs. "Oh, that's lovely."

Relm smiled up at her grandfather as he reached for his cup of tea, freshly poured by a quiet Gau. Placing another loaf of warm bread on a plate, Terra came to the table, smiling when Strago shifted aside to make room for her. The half-esper took a seat in one of the old, creaky chairs, a smile on her lips as Strago reached out to pat her hand. She poured herself a cup of tea from the pot as Relm and Gau both took a seat at the table as well, picking at the plate of vegetables now that the others had gone.

"So, Terra." The old man began, sipping at his chipped cup. "Just how nasty is this storm of yours going to be?"

"What do you mean?" Terra asked, his question taking her by surprise.

"You know full well what I mean, woman." Strago replied, fixing her with an even gaze over his cup. "How long has Edgar's foolery trapped us here?"

"Edgar's foolery? What's going on?" Terra blinked at him in confusion.

"Come now Terra," Strago smiled softly, gazing at her as though she were a foolish girl. "You don't think Edgar dragged us all out here just because of New Vector, do you?"

"Well, no. But…"

"Locke left in a big huff, Terra." Relm entered, pouring herself a cup of tea. "I'm sure he told you about Edgar's silly meeting. Well, once Locke left, Edgar went a little batty. Spent a day in his study then came out and called another meeting. And…well…here we are."

"Well, why are you here?" Terra asked, blushing at the bluntness of her question.

"We're here, well us at least as a group, have come to keep Edgar from doing something that would put a large pinch in our friendship." Strago explained. At Terra's confused look however, he sighed and raised a hand to pinch at the bridge of his nose. "We're here to keep Edgar from doing something stupid. And the longer this storm lasts, the bigger a chance he has to make an ass of himself."

"Let's be fair though, old man." Relm said, sipping at her cup. "It's not just Edgar, it's Sabin and Cyan too."

"Okay, hold on." Terra interrupted, pressing her hands against the edge of the table. All they were doing was going around in circles and giving her no answers and she had had enough of confusion. "What do they want?"

"They want to take you home." Gau said softly, turning his lush hazel eyes to her. "They want you to be safe."

"Safe?" Terra questioned, lost for a moment in Gau's hypnotic gaze. After a moment, a small smile curled her lips and she began to chuckle, the small action putting a furrow in Gau's brow. "Gau, I am safe. There's no place in the world safer than right here, in my house."

"I know…"Gau mumbled, blushing as he looked down at the table. "No place is safer than Terra's nest. But that's not it. They mean safe from being sick."

As Gau's gaze flickered between Terra's face and the table, understanding dawned on her and she felt her heart plunge in her breast. With a sigh, she leaned back in the chair and clasped a hand to her chest, a cloud of depression pressing down on her from all sides.

Not this nonsense again. If what they were saying was true, then her friends had come to remove her from her one place of comfort, and for no reason. There was nothing wrong with her except for the few pinching cramps that bothered her every now and again and her strange allergy. This nonsense had now gone too far, and she'd be damned if it was going to continue.

"Why would I need to be kept safe from that?" Terra asked, incredulous. Across the table Strago stiffened, but Terra was glad that he chose to keep silent. "This is ridiculous."

"Yes, it is." Relm agreed, speaking before her grandfather could get a word in. "That's why we're here. To stop it from getting worse."

"And that's why we need to know how long the storm will last." Strago said calmly, fingering his mustache. "Once we know that, we can plan on getting Edgar out of here."

"Now, stop." Terra growled, suddenly angry with them. Who were they to try and protect her from her friends? Edgar was head-over heels for her and couldn't take a hint, but he was nothing she couldn't handle herself. "This is out of hand. I don't need you to protect me from Edgar, it's not like he's trying to attack me."

"I know that, but…" Relm started, but Terra cut her off.

"No Relm, this is the last straw. I've had enough off all this 'Terra you're sick' nonsense." Terra scoffed, a frown dragging hard on her lips. "I can assure you that I'm fine. If I were really all that ill, I'd be bedridden. And should I become so then, and only then, will I spend the money to see a physician."

"Terra…"

"No, Strago." Terra growled, swiping a hand through the air as she rose from her seat. "This is past nonsense, and I won't put up with it any longer."

"Terra, please."

"Relm, stop it." The half esper grumbled, turning away from them and rubbing at her temples. "I'm not going to listen to this anymore."

"I don't expect you to." Relm suddenly rumbled, her voice rising as she rose from her chair. " That's why we're here; to stop it."

"To…stop it?" Terra questioned, looking over her shoulder at the young woman. She had to pause at the conviction in Relm's eyes, the sheer strength of will that shone out at her from those crystalline depths. "And how are you going to do that?"

"I…don't know…"Relm admitted, dropping her gaze and slumping back into her chair. "It just has to now. It seemed like a good idea at first, you know; getting you out of here and making sure you're okay. But…"

"But what?"

"But it's foolhardy." Strago said before Relm could respond. He dropped a hand beneath the table to rub at his blanket-draped knee before fixing Terra with his gaze once more. "If you say that you're fine; then you are. You're an adult, Terra. You know what's best for you. And, seeing as how you've done nothing but raise a ridiculous amount of children for the past six years, you seem to be doing better than any of us."

"But…" Terra started, though she had no idea what she was going to say. With a sigh, she shut her mouth and gazed down at the scuffed floorboards for a moment, wrapping her arms about herself. "But, how do I stop this nonsense."

"By telling them to stop." Strago replied simply. "And not gently or in passing, like you have been. I mean by staring them in the face and telling them to leave you alone about it. Your health is your business, not theirs."

Terra didn't reply, she just stared at the floor, her hands clenching at her elbows as she cocked a hip in thought. It felt strange to have them agree with her thoughts on the matter. She didn't see them very often, so she had figured that they wouldn't have taken Edgar's word on the matter. It also didn't help that everyone was right about how truly dreadful she looked. But, what was she supposed to do? Drop everything and follow her friends into the city and let them pamper her until they thought she was well again?

No, out of the question. She had too much work to do. And, who cared about the way she looked? She had no need to impress anyone with a beauty she could no longer claim.

"Thank you," She managed finally, returning her gaze to the people at the table. "But, I need to do this on my own. It's not that I don't appreciate what you're trying to do for me, it's that this is something that I should have stopped a long time ago."

"I understand." Strago said after a moment, bobbing his head in an approving nod. "But, will you allow us to support you in stopping this?"

"Of course." Terra replied with a soft smile. Her heart warmed as the old man smiled and nodded once more, his eyes slipping closed for the briefest of moments.

"Good, now that that's settled. Perhaps you can enlighten us on the length of the storm?" Strago said with a smile, his eyes glittering behind his bushy white brows.

"Why would I know how long it's going to last?" Terra said, looking to him with a faint smirk. He didn't think…?

"Come come now, Terra." Strago smirked, giving her a knowing look. "We know full well just how much of your esper half you kept when magic left."

"All right." Terra chuckled, raising a hand to wave him off. So he did know, it wasn't the end of the world. Raising her head, Terra took a careful sniff of the air, fighting against a recoil when her nose lit up with the feel of the lightning the storm was already producing over the ocean. Getting an estimate, she continued. "Duane was wrong. It's slowed down; I give it two hours instead of one before landfall. And I'd guess we'll get two days of rain."

"Huh, I didn't expect it to be so big." Relm muttered, leaning back in her chair.

"Yes, it is a surprise, isn't it?" Terra sighed. With a smile, she turned her attention to Gau, who had sat quietly throughout the entire conversation, his eyes focused on the table. "Gau, why don't we go help the others?"

"Yes." Gau said simply, looking to her with soft eyes. The young man looked to Strago for a moment before rising from his seat, a small smile curling his lips. He turned a last glance at Relm before making for the door, leaving his shoes and socks behind him as he started down the hill. Taking a breath, she nodded to the two remaining Returners before following the young man out the door.

Locke took a breath and pressed the last of the thatch into place, his left shoulder aching from the strain. Thunder rolled far in the distance as he leaned back to admire his work, his eyes falling with pleasure on the tight thatching. It was quite comfortable up here on Valda's roof now that the storm was sending a good breeze towards the village. The cool air tossed his sweat dampened silvery hair about his head comfortably, soothing his still aggravating headache.

Leaning back on his heels, the treasure hunter tilted his head back and allowed his eyes to slip closed, reveling in the feel of the warm sun and cool breeze on his work battered skin. With a sigh he straightened and returned his focus to the now finished thatch roof. It made for a pleasant sight after all the work that went into it, not to mention all that had happened during the time it took for the village to get them finished. Now all that remained was to attack Terra's little house and get it repaired in one fell swoop. But the storm was too close to start on anything right now so her house would have to wait until the skies cleared. He hoped to heaven that her roof wouldn't leak in that time.

"Psst, move over!"

Locke jerked upright as the frustrated whisper broke through his thoughts. He looked around him quickly, trying to locate the source of the voice, with no luck. But a hard thump on the tip of his boot drew his gaze downward to where the once missing Einon perched, gazing up at him with frustration in his eyes.

"Scoot! Let me up." The young man demanded. Locke shifted aside and allowed the red head to scramble up onto the roof beside him, chuckling when the kid flattened himself against the thatch like a soldier in the brush.

"Well well," Locke began, chuckling down at the kid. "Does your mother know you're out?"

"No, I can't get to her…"Einon replied, keeping his head low as he stared out over the village, eyeing the Returners. "They're everywhere."

Locke laughed hard, raising a hand to stifle his outburst when Einon threw a nervous glare at him.

"They're not an army, Einon." Locke said, lowering his voice and hunkering down on the roof beside the young man.

"Could have fooled me." Einon grunted, propping his chin up on a hand. "Who are they?"

"They're our friends." Locke sighed, following the young man's gaze over to where Marian was just noticing the open door of the meeting hall. "We should introduce you."

"Not yet." Einon said firmly, looking away from the meeting hall and over to his new home. "Not till I see Ma."

"Well, you won't see her if you stay up here." Locke said, still chuckling. "And I'm done so I'll be going down soon, and you can't stay up here."

"Why not?" Einon asked, a whine in his voice.

"Because, since I said so." Locke smirked, chuckling when Einon gave a world weary groan.

"Fine…" Einon sighed grumpily. "But, do we have to go down now?"

"No, not yet." Locke said, turning a gentle smile to the red head. "It's too nice up here to leave just yet."

He allowed himself to take another deep breath, the faint tang of lightning already drifting in off the coast. Down in the square, Marian had noticed the open door to the meeting hall and had gone in to investigate.

"So…who are they?" Einon asked, interrupting Locke's moment of relaxation.

"They're friends of mine. Your mother too." Locke explained, reclining as best he could on the sloping thatch. "We used to run with them a long time ago."

"Run with them? Like what, in a bard's band?" The kid asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked to the treasure hunter.

"No," Locke chuckled, savoring the mental image the kid's words called up for a moment. "Music was a big part of it, but mostly we just traveled."

Locke sighed and cast his gaze out over the village once more, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as he watched Sabin lugging uncut deadfall into the square. It was too early to tell Einon just what the Returners had done together so long ago. He probably wouldn't believe Locke anyway, let alone remember much about Kefka. It was best to let Terra explain it anyway, she had a way with these kinds of things.

"Where?" Einon piped up, breaking off Locke's train of thought. "Where did you travel?"

"All over." Locke sighed, keeping his eyes out over the village. Marian had left the meeting hall and was now looking around for Einon. "I don't think there was anywhere we didn't go. There are times I wish we could do it again, all of us together. But…it'll never happen."

"Why not?" The kid asked, tilting his head to the side in honest wonder as he gazed at the older man.

"Because we have lives and jobs now." Locke explained, his heart suddenly thudding in his chest at the look of wonder in Einon's eyes. He couldn't resist the urge to reach over and pat the kid on the shoulder, a smile on his face. "There are things keeping us home."

"Ma says you don't live here." Einon stated, an inquisitive glint in his eyes. "So, where is your home?"

"I live up in Kholingen, one of the outer Figaro territories." Locke shrugged, smirking when Einon's eyes widened.

"That's so far!" He said, his voice full of wonder. "Why would you come all this way? It has to take forever to get here."

"Nah, the Figaro steam ships are the fastest in the world." Locke chuckled offering the kid a wink. At Einon's dry look, Locke sighed and tilted his head back, taking another deep breath. "The truth is, your mother is special; more so than you could ever imagine. She means a lot to me, well, to all of us. For her…well…"

"Why is she special?" Einon inquired, propping himself up on his elbows, his eyes bright.

"She's….she's…"Locke didn't know what to say. It wasn't his place to tell the boy of Terra's extraordinary birth, or to reveal that her current existence was a miracle the likes of which only the Goddess Most High could cause. "She's special because….well…she just is."

"That doesn't help." Einon frowned, his eyes darkening.

"I know, kid." Locke blushed, rubbing at the back of his sweat dampened head. "But it's not my place to say…"

"I didn't realize people had to have a special place in the world to say things." Einon scoffed, his frown deepening.

"Well, it depends on what's being said." Locke tried to explain. His mind raced around in circles, trying to find some way to explain to the young man why he couldn't reveal the truth of Terra's existence to him. "I can't tell you about it because she's special to me, but, I don't know how special I am to her. And, I don't want to hurt that."

"So, it's a secret." Einon said with resignation. He plopped back down against the thatch, his brow furrowed. Locke's heart went out to the kid, he knew how it felt to be left out of things. It wasn't fun.

"Not really." Locke shrugged, hoping to lessen the tension. "But, it's something your mother should tell you herself. I'm sure she will if you ask."

"I might." The red head sighed, staring out over the bustling village again.

Thunder boomed in the east, much closer than before and drew Locke's gaze towards the hills. The black line of clouds was definitely larger than it had been not ten minutes before, they had less than an hour before the skies turned gray. Looking over to Einon once more, Locke poked the kid in the shoulder, catching his attention. With a faint smile, the treasure hunter nodded towards the ladder, signaling that they should climb down.

Catching his drift, Einon nodded forlornly and reached for the ladder, glancing about before swinging himself onto the rungs and scrambling down into the dust. Locke followed with a sigh, his headache reminding him of its presence with a dull throb at the base of his skull. He needed to get rid of it, or he was going to be a real monster the rest of the day, and with Celes' blatant ignoring of him, it wouldn't be much longer before that monster came out. Shaking off the thought, Locke planted his boots in the dust, a frown curling his lips at the way his puffed up from the impact. Once it rained, the square would be quite the muddy trap.

"Okay, so. I have to ask." Einon started, drawing Locke's attention once more. The red headed young man offered a tiny smirk and pointed across the square. "Who's the peacock?"

"Peacock?" Locke questioned, raising an eyebrow in confusion. He followed the kid's pointing finger across the square to where Edgar was talking with a sweating Canaan. Edgar had donned his brilliant travel cape once more when he had left Terra's house. The brilliant fabric flashed emerald and sapphire in the sunlight, catching the eye. And for the briefest of moments, Edgar did look like a great southern peacock, like the ones he'd seen in the Emperor Gestahl's court so long ago. He laughed despite himself, an image of Edgar trailing a coat of feathers and preening like a bird caught in his mind.

"His name is Edgar," The treasure hunter explained with a chuckle. "Remember the friend I told you about earlier? That's him. He's from Figaro."

"Do they all look like birds in Figaro?" Einon asked, a faint smirk curling the corner of his lips.

"Well, it depends on what part of Figaro you come from." Locke stated, turning a smirk to the kid. "That big guy over there chopping wood? That's his brother, Sabin. He doesn't look like a bird."

"No, he looks like an escaped circus ursus." Einon stated dryly, his rust colored eyes sparkling.

"That he does," Locke laughed, suddenly imagining Sabin juggling while wearing a pink neck ruffle and matching hat. "Your mother said about the same thing when she first met him."

Einon didn't reply, he just peeked out at the square from around the side of the house, his hand fisted in the long sleeve of his cotton shirt. Locke's brow furrowed as he watched the kid gaze out at the busy square. More than anything, he wished Terra were there at that moment. Einon was obviously nervous about going out there to meet the Returners and Locke had no idea just how to handle the situation. It was probably best to leave it entirely to Terra, maybe Locke could sneak back up to her house if he took the long way past the stables…

"Hey, Einon." He began, smiling faintly when the young man looked to him. "Help me with this? Then we can go find your Ma."

Einon nodded and snuck away from the corner of the house, bending to pick up the last bundle of straw as he approached the treasure hunter. With a smirk, Locke pulled the wooden ladder away from the side of the house and tucked it under his arm for transport. Together, they moved quickly and quietly around the far edge of Valda's house, making for the stable only a few yards away. Thankfully, the side door was open and they were able to slip inside without any issue. The air within was dry and dead, the gathered heat tempting Locke's eyes to water. He directed Einon to set the bundle of straw aside while he hung the ladder on a pair of hooks set high into the wall, grateful that Edgar's footmen had returned with the carriages and chocobo to Anthem for the time being.

"Stick 'em up!"

Locke jerked back as the voice rang out in the dry stable air. Beside him, Einon stiffened, his rusty eyes going wide as a frightened deer's.

"I said stick 'em up, robbers!"

When the young woman spoke again, Locke recognized the voice immediately. With a tired, yet amused sigh, Locke smirked and slowly set the few tools he was holding down onto the hay strewn floor. Straightening, the treasure hunter slowly raised his empty hands on either side of his head, keeping his back to the woman at the door.

"You too, Red. This ain't no joke."

"Do what she says, Einon." Locke chuckled, glancing at the still frightened young man. "She's serious."

"No talking!" The woman shouted, lowering the pitch of her voice to hide her smile. "Put 'em up, Red, or I'll run you through."

Einon squeaked and threw his hands into the air, his face going white. He glanced at Locke, his rust colored eyes wide with both fright and confusion.

"Let him go, Ava, he's just a kid." Locke pleaded as pitifully as he could. He glanced over his shoulder at the young woman who stood in the doorway. She offered him a goofy grin as she stood hunched up like some kind of low life thug, her hands held out as though she were aiming an invisible crossbow at him.

"What?" Einon squawked. The young man's face clouded with rage as he dropped his hands and whirled about to shout. "What hell is wrong with you?"

"Einon, calm down. Ava's just teasing." Locke chuckled, gently patting the young man on the shoulder.

"It's not teasing when it scares the shit out of me."

"Watch your mouth." Ava scolded before Locke could reply. She waggled a finger at Einon as she approached, and amused glimmer still shining in her eyes. "And settle down."

Einon scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest, his face pink from anger. Ava chuckled at him and turned to face Locke, her eyes bright in her dirty face.

"Everyone's getting ready to call it quits for the day." She explained, raising a hand to brush a stray strand of sweat soaked hair away from her face. "That storm is coming in fast and its starting to cool off outside. We'll all be going into the children's rooms for the afternoon if you want to join us. Edgar says he brought some things to show off."

"Another toy?" Locke inquired, his interest peaked at the thought of watching one of Edgar's inventions wander about the floor while the children laughed.

"Hopefully." Ava replied with a smile. "Come on, we need help bringing in the tools."

"Who says we're going to help you?" Einon sneered, turning a glare to the young woman. "After what you did?"

"Oh shut up, you nancy." Ava snarled playfully. "Grow some balls, why don't you…"

"All right, all right." Locke interrupted, holding his hands out to placate them. "Knock it off. Einon, get over it. Ava, low blow. Not awesome…"

The two youths hung their heads quietly, faces red from Locke's reprimand. The treasure hunter shook his head, unable to hold back a chuckle as they shifted uncomfortably beneath his gaze.

"Saddle up you two, time to clean up." He said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. "Ava, you're on tool duty. Einon, you're with me on heavy lifting. Scoot."

"Wow, tossing orders now, are we?" Ava teased, a cheeky grin on her pretty face.

"I said scoot, little lady." Locke smirked, waving his hand at her.

Ava laughed and tossed her long earthy brown braid over her shoulder, her eyes sparkling as she wiped her hands on her now grimy apron. With a wink to the both of them, she scooped a tool basket up from the straw strewn floor and jogged for the open stable doors, her skirt trailing behind her.

"Stupid bit…" Einon began, his face red as Ava vanished out the doors.

"Don't finish that, kid." Locke growled, cutting him off. "You were told to knock off the cursing. Now do it."

"I'm not a little kid." Einon growled, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at the older man.

"No, you're not, that's why you have to follow the rules." Locke said with a sigh. He raised a hand to rub at the back of his aching head as a breeze blew in through the open doors, cooling his sweat soaked bandanna. He had to smirk as Einon gazed up at him, his rust colored eyes clouded as he allowed his shoulders to slump with resignation.

"I hate rules…" The kid grunted, drawing a laugh out of the treasure hunter.

"Yeah, you and everyone else." Locke chuckled, reaching out to pat the young man on the shoulder. "Let's go."

Without so much as a glance at the kid, Locke started for the open doors. The breeze had become a steady constant in the time they had been inside the stable, the temperature falling every minute with its presence. Soft footsteps in the dust behind him informed Locke of Einon following him as he set out into the still brilliant sunlight that filled the village square. Activity had doubled in the last fifteen minutes as the adults had begun pulling down ladders and gathering tools as quickly as possible, fearing the coming storm.

"Locke. Locke!"

Looking up, Locke found Marian jogging up the slight incline towards him, one hand waving over her head to catch his attention. He offered her a tiny smile as she came to stand before him, bending slightly to catch her breath. Behind him, Einon slipped into his shadow and raised a hand to grip at the back of his sweat-dampened shirt.

"Easy, darlin'." Locke said with a smirk as Marian straightened, her hands coming up to try and tame her tangle chocolate waves. "What's all the fuss?"

"Setzer had to leave to secure his airship so it wouldn't get damaged during the storm and he took Sabin and Edgar with him. We need hands." She panted, pressing a hand into the small of her back. "Canaan and Jacoby need help hauling the rest of the straw into the stable but we also need help getting the houses shut up for the storm. And I don't think anyone's made it up to the mill yet."

"Don't worry, we'll work it out." Locke smirked, reaching out to pat her on the shoulder. The scarred woman offered him a tiny smile. She nodded faintly, raising a hand to brush a stray strand of hair away from her damp face. "Do you know where Terra is?"

"Looking for Einon." The woman replied with a smirk, her eyes sparkling as she glanced at the kid behind Locke. "I'll tell her you've found him."

"Don't bother." Terra's voice chimed over the rising breeze. "I see him."

Locke looked up the slight incline leading down from Terra's tiny home as she approached, the wind tossing her emerald hair about her slight frame. A faint smile curled her thin lips as she came to stand beside Marian, a dimple in her cheek as she offered a wink to Einon. The young man released the back of Locke's shirt and went to his new mother, his face unreadable as she extended a hand to him. Taking her hand, Einon allowed Terra to drag him close and wrap her arms about his neck.

"Good to see you." She said softly, pressing a kiss into Einon's brilliant red locks. "Did you eat?"

"Some bread." Einon replied softly, gripping at his mother's arm.

"Good." Terra nodded, pressing another kiss into the crown of her son's head. Looking up, a faint smile curled her lips as she turned her gaze to Locke. "I'll go to the mill, can you send Jacoby up to help me?"

"Yeah, sure." Locke agreed as his head gave another angry throb. He raised a hand to rub at his forehead as Terra smiled faintly. He looked down at Einon, who gazed back at him steadily, his rusty eyes unreadable as he allowed his mother to comb his hair with her fingers. "Come on kid, let's go find your brother."

"He's up on that roof." The kid replied, raising a hand to point past Locke and up onto Katrin's roof.

"I thought we were done up there." Locke stated as he turned to gaze up at the large house. Sure enough, Jacoby was scuttling about on the thatch at the crest of Katrin's roof, his arms loaded with various tools.

"We were." Marian entered, her voice tired as she followed Locke's gaze. "I think he's just doing a last inspection."

"Good, that's the one place we can't have the roof fail." Terra said with a sigh. "Let me know if it needs more work. I'm heading to the mill. Is there already rope and everything up there?"

"Yes, but you shouldn't go alone. You can't secure it by yourself." Marian said, her brow furrowing as she watched the emerald haired woman start off in the direction of the mill.

"I'll be fine. Just send Jacoby." Terra chuckled. Marian frowned as the younger woman whirled and jogged out of the square and toward the mill, her long braid trailing behind her.

"Ma's kinda crazy…isn't she?" Einon asked, rubbing at the back of his neck as he watched her go.

"More than kinda." Marian sighed as she turned back to the village. "Come on, we have work to do.

It took the group another half hour to finish gathering their tools and cleaning up. By that time, the clouds had grown closer and the sky was beginning to darken, putting the nerves of the adults on edge. The constant rumble of thunder and the arrival of a steady and strong wind set them running about, trying to shut up windows and bar doors to protect them from the wind and coming rain. Terra and Jacoby still had not returned from the mill once the houses and stable had been prepared for the storm. The children had taken to playing a game of tag in the now clean square, getting their energy out before they had to retreat inside until the rain blew itself out.

With the better portion of the work done, the adults had taken to pulling supplies into Katrin's house. They had taken blankets and extra mattresses down from high in the stable loft and were carrying them steadily into the children's rooms, setting up a nice little place for all of them to sit together for the evening. In the kitchen, Katrin and Valda had taken to heating the old brick oven that had been set into the thick kitchen walls years before the fall of Kefka. It had been ages since the thing had been used, so it filled the house with a musty odor that could only be vented by reopening all of the windows.

Once the oven had been successfully heated, Valda rounded up the older kids and had them bring as much food as they could into the kitchen. Locke had to chuckle as a line of six kids laden with food paraded from the meeting hall and into Katrin's large home, their expressions bored. If Locke didn't know any better, he'd say they were preparing for the end of the world. When he asked Marian about it, she chuckled and said that it was better if they did. Apparently, a few years before, the light dust that covered the square had soaked through so badly that they'd been trapped inside Katrin's house for three days because it had been too deep to walk through.

"Could that happen again?" Edgar inquired as he approached, his arms laden with blankets.

"I don't see why it couldn't, why do you ask?" Marian said, raising an eyebrow as she turned her rich gaze to the king.

"Because if it does, Setzer may have to get the Falcon out of here. It could sink in all that mud." The king explained, his brow furrowing.

"Oh shi—snap." Locke grumbled, catching himself and changing his statement. "He's right. It's out on loose soil; not too mention that it's mostly metal."

"Well, the metal isn't a problem. The Falcon's been struck by lightning in a storm before, it's designed to handle the stress." Edgar turned a faint, strained smile to the treasure hunter, his eyes bright. "Don't you remember when we went through that storm over Maranda way back when?"

"Huh? Storm? Oh! Oh yeah. Kinda." Locke said, remember with a blush. Truth was, he didn't remember much of that storm, he and Celes had been...indisposed that evening.

"We were struck twice that night." Edgar explained, a broad grin curling his lips as an excited light filled his eyes. "Didn't do a damn thing to the hull. I stood up there with Setzer for two hours watching the storm. I swear, it was raining so hard, I'm still wringing the water out of that cloak. I thought he was going to kill me by the end of the night. He said I was way too excited by the thought of death by lightning strike."

"You still are." Setzer affirmed as he came up the incline, his silvery hair tossing about in the strengthening wind. "You're crazier than anyone I've ever known. Next time, I'm letting the wind take you."

"I had the harness on…"Edgar grumbled as he glanced at the man.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you can hang off the side to stare at a passing cloud."

"It was glowing!"

"It was ball lightning and you could have died…"

"But I didn't…"

"Oh please…" Setzer finally sighed, raising a hand to pinch at the bridge of his nose. "I don't care how 'amazing' lightning is. It can still kill you in an instant."

"The death of one man would be a small price if we could harness that power. Think of what we could do with it." Edgar encouraged, raising a hand to emphasize his point. "We could power whole cities, Setzer! A thousand homes all heated in the winter with the power of the Goddess' themselves!"

"Edgar, I'm not helping you build an airship…"

"Then where else am I supposed to find the power?" Edgar demanded, his brow furrowing with frustration as he looked away.

"Try water." Setzer stated, expression one of taxing boredom. Locke knew full well that this very subject was at the heart of Edgar and Setzer's dislike for each other. Setzer refused to help Edgar produce airships of his own, for reasons the gambler refused to reveal. Edgar, he knew, would never give up on the subject. Science was the king's greatest passion and he refused to be defeated when it came to his experiments.

"How can water help me power anything other than a mill?" Edgar questioned, frustration coloring his voice.

"Find a way…" Setzer stated cryptically as he brushed past the group, hoisting a pack laden with extra supplies. The gambler winked at Marian as he passed, the tiny action coloring her cheeks.

"Oh, that…"Edgar grumbled, ignoring Locke's pointed look as the pilot vanished into Katrin's home.

"Enough," Marian chuckled, wiping her hands on her rosy skirt. "Let it go for now, Edgar. We have work to do."

"Yes, yes. How much longer do you think before that rain gets here?" The king sighed, brushing a stray strand of hair away from his face.

"Oh, fifteen minutes before the clouds overtake us." Marian sighed, turning her gaze to the open front door up on the porch. "Then another half hour before the rain. I would hope at least. Come on, let's get going."

Edgar nodded and cleared his throat, his eyes downcast. He hefted the blankets in his arms once more and swept past them and into the house, his now dusty cloak swishing about behind him grandly.

"Annoying or not, I'm glad to have him here." Marian commented with a sigh, her eyes following the blonde man into the house. "Come on, you. We need to round everyone up."

"Actually, do you mind if I sit this out?" Locke asked, drawing her gaze. His head gave another angry throb, causing him to wince involuntarily. Marian's brow furrowed as she turned to face him fully, her full lips parting with worry and curiosity.

"I'm not feeling too well." Locke explained with a wince. "I've had a killer headache since this morning and I'd like to lie down for a bit if I could."

"Yeah, sure. I'm all right with it." She said, a worried frown on her full lips. "You've done more than enough to warrant a break. You're welcome to my couch."

"Thanks." Locke said softly, setting a hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, you're welcome. However, resting or not, we still have use for you." Marian said with a smirk. She chuckled when he raised an eyebrow in confusion, her eyes sparkling. "It's time for Bishop's nap, but there's too many people going in and out of his house right now. I'm sure Katrin won't mind if you take him off her hands."

"Well, sure. I'm fine with it. But, I really don't want anyone to…"

"It's all right." Marian said with a light laugh. "I won't tell Celes, and I'll make sure Katrin doesn't either. And, I won't tell your friends where you are."

"Thank you." Locke said with a sigh and a smile. His shoulders slumped as Marian smiled at him again, her scarred face bright despite the darkening sky. "I really don't want any more trouble with her right now."

"Don't worry about it." Marian said, her voice soft. "You go ahead up to my house. I'll bring you Bishop."

"Thanks."

Terra grunted as the thick rope in her hands fought hard to pull free of her grip. The great blades of the wind mill groaned and creaked as a gust dragged on them, fighting against the pull of the rope. Tightening her grip, the half esper took a step back on the catwalk, dragging the rope with her. With a massive groan, the blades on the other side of the wall stopped spinning, the heavy rope preventing their movement. Taking a breath, Terra turned and looped the rope around the center bracing beam of the mill, trying it off to the best of her ability.

"All set up here!" She called down, her voice echoing off the bare stone walls.

"Good! I need you here." Jacoby called back from beneath the catwalk, his voice strained.

Checking the rope one last time, Terra made for the ladder, easily moving down it to the wood floor boards. Jacoby stood in the corner, hefting large bags of stored flour into a pile atop a table set against the far wall. Sighing softly, Terra went to help him, hefting the heavy canvas bags onto the table as quickly and quietly as she could. Once finished, she stepped back, carefully counting the bags, ensuring that all ten of the bags were accounted for. It was strange to her how much their very lives depended on these ten large bags of fluffy white powder. Without a proper stock of these, Mobliz would run out of bread half way through the winter. They had to do their best to protect what they needed for themselves, and then sell off the rest for as much as they could.

"Think they'll survive?" Jacoby asked, looking to her with a faint smirk.

"They should." Terra replied, a faint smirk of her own curling her lips. "But, let's cover them for safety's sake."

With a nod, Jacoby bent and unearthed an old musty blanket from beneath the heavy table. He held it away from himself and shook it out, sending up a cloud of old, dry dust. Terra covered her mouth and turned away from the cloud, breathing steadily through a crack in her fingers as Jacoby drew the thick cloth over the piled bags of flour. Once finished, the young man clapped his hands together, brushing off the dust as he turned back to his mother, who still held a hand over her mouth.

"Are you all right?" He questioned, setting a hand on her shoulder. His brow furrowed as she drew her hand away and gazed up at him with wide eyes.

"Yes. Just the dust." She said, her voice soft. "It surprised me. Don't know why. I should have expected it."

"Hey, it happens." Jacoby replied, rubbing gently at his mother's shoulder. "Can you think of anything else we need to do before we go back?"

"No, I think we're done." Terra sighed, casting a glance around the mill. She mentally ran through the little checklist of things to do she kept when it came to securing the mill.

"You shut up the chimney?"

"Yes, just about took my hand off too." Jacoby replied with a chuckle.

"Then that's it, let's be off." Terra said with a nod. "It's here."

"You're sure?" The young man inquired, his brow furrowing.

Terra nodded and bit her lip. Raising a hand, she pointed towards the closed door, her brow furrowing as her son followed her aimed finger. He went to the door and opened it revealing the suddenly darkened landscape beyond. The clouds had moved in quickly and almost silently, obscuring the sun in the time they'd been inside the mill. He looked back at her, his brow furrowed as the skies gave a deep rumble.

"If we leave now, we'll beat the rain." Terra said softly, coming across the floor to lay a hand on her son's shoulder. "Now, let's go."

Together, they stepped out into the wind, a sudden gust of wind chilling them to the bone. Terra wrapped her arms about herself, unable to keep her teeth from chattering as she looked down the steep hill and into the village. The square had emptied in the time she'd been gone and the house had all been shut up against the storm. A few older people still drifted about between the houses, carrying supplies and finishing their shutting up of the homes. Jacoby barred up the mill door as fast as he could before taking his mother's hand and leading her carefully down the hill. They picked their way along quietly, keeping one eye out for loose rocks and the other on the dark skies.

They came into the square, hand in hand just as the first few drops came splashing down. The few adults that filled the square finished up their work and made for the open, glowing rectangle that was Katrin's front door, the sight promising warmth and comfort. Jacoby led her quickly towards Katrin's porch taking the steps two at a time. He was about to head inside when Celes came through the door, her brow furrowing when she saw them.

"I thought you were Locke." She said with a sigh. Her shoulders slumped slightly when Jacoby inquired as to why. "He's been missing for the last hour. No one has seen him and I'm starting to worry."

"I'm sure he's all right, Celes." Terra assured, releasing her son's hand and stepping closer to the lovely blonde. "He's probably still out working."

"But, there's nothing left to do. And, like I said, no one has seen him."

"It's probably nothing." Terra soothed. "Why would he run off without telling us?"

"Well, I haven't said a thing to him all day. I've just been so angry with him for running off without telling me that I've been ignoring him." The blonde sighed, dropping her gaze.

"Well, I'd be pretty mad at him too." Terra stated simply, brushing a stray strand of emerald away from her face. "Does he know that's why you're not talking to him?"

"Probably." Celes replied, shifting her weight from foot to foot. "He's one of those rare guys that usually knows what he did wrong without having to ask."

"Don't worry, Celes." Jacoby said, a frown on his lips as he reached out to pat her elbow. "If he's upset, he'll get over it. Always does. He'll come back. Besides, that rain is going to get bad fast, he won't stay out in it for very long."

"Any sign of him?" Marian asked, appearing behind Celes in the doorway. Her brow furrowed when her gaze fell upon the now damp Terra and Jacoby. "Well, at least we found two of the strays. Is the mill settled?"

"Yep, all set." Terra chirped, forcing a smile to her lips for Celes' sake. "Is there anything else that needs to be done?"

"I forgot to fetch another slate from my house. Einon doesn't have one yet and if he thinks he's getting out of my lessons he's got another thing coming." The scarred beauty said firmly, her words bringing a tiny smile to Celes' lips.

Terra blinked at Marian in confusion; there was no way the woman would have forgotten to grab another slate. She put too much pride into giving lessons to have forgotten. But, there was something in the way Marian was looking at her, just at her, that set Terra's heart beating. Marian raised an eyebrow at her and gave the slightest nod towards Celes, who stood in front of her. Confused, Terra raised an eyebrow as well. She and Marian had gotten used to reading each other's facial cues over the years, but this had her baffled. Terra blinked twice, signaling to the other woman that she didn't understand.

"Can you come inside and start the lesson while I go fetch it?" Marian asked, raising her eyebrows in an attempt to emphasize a missed point. Again the woman nodded towards Celes then looked pointedly at Terra. Whatever it was Marian wanted Terra still couldn't grasp it. But it did strike her that Marian wanted Terra to go to her house instead.

"No, let me. I'm already wet." Terra said with a faint chuckle, a smirk tugging at her lips. Marian's shoulder's relaxed and she smiled, nodding her head faintly. "Won't take a minute."

"Hurry up, this drizzle could get worse fast." Jacoby said, wrapping an arm about her shoulders in a quick hug and pressing a kiss to her temple.

"I won't be long." Terra said, smiling at her son. She turned her gaze back to Celes who was frowning and gazing out into the rain. "Why don't you go inside and sit down for a bit. I'm sure he'll come back soon."

Celes nodded and offered her a tiny smile before turning and heading back inside, taking Marian and Jacoby with her. Turning, Terra started down the steps and back into the now steady drizzle. The dust began to squelch beneath her boots as she jogged across the square, shivering in the wind. By the time she reached Marian's little porch, she dearly wished she'd grabbed a cloak. The rain clung to her flesh and hair, setting her nerves afire with annoyance. She ripped Marian's front door open and thrust herself inside, feeling rather like a wet cat once the warm darkness of Marian's little home enclosed about her. She paused to brush the chill droplets from her face and hair, her hands working vigorously to remove them.

Slightly drier and feeling a little better, Terra took a breath and glanced around Marian's little living room. She knew it well. When Marian had come to Mobliz, this house had been nothing more than an empty hulk, slightly less damaged than the other remaining houses at that time. She'd chosen it specifically because it had two additional rooms for her children, a luxury she'd never thought she'd have again. The scarred woman had wasted no time in furnishing the little cottage with whatever she could salvage. Most of her furniture had come from the tiny refuse dump just outside of the then tiny Anthem. But even with the battered condition of her belongings, the mother of two had managed to produce a comfortable and even fashionable little home.

With a sigh, Terra stepped out of the entryway and into the living room proper. In that moment, she was thankful for the part of her that retained her heightened esper senses, as they allowed her to see better in the darkness than a normal human. She found an additional slate easily; in a drawer of the small desk that sat tucked against the far wall. She ran her fingers over it quietly, reveling for a moment in its cool texture. But, this couldn't possibly have been the real reason Marian had wanted Terra to come here. Sure, they needed the slate; but there was something in the way the woman had been looking at Celes that just didn't sit right with Terra. What could it have been?

Turning, Terra cast another glance about the dark living room, her eyes falling briefly on each piece of lovingly restored furniture. It was as her eyes fell upon the dining table that she noticed the faint glow of a candle illuminating the edges of Nestor's bedroom door. Taking a breath, Terra tucked the slate under her arm and made for the slightly open portal, her ears pricked up for any faint noise. It was strange that Marian would leave a candle burning while there was no one at home, the risk of fire was just too great. She paused at the door, waiting to see if she could hear anyone within. A moment later, a faint breath sounded within and Terra relaxed, her shoulders slumping with relief. She now knew why Marian had been so intent on Celes.

The half esper pressed her fingers to the wooden door, allowing it to swing gently open. Locke was splayed out on his back on Nestor's bed, his shirt and boots lying haphazardly on the floor nearby. Looking at him, Terra found herself surprised, not by the fact that he was sleeping but because he wasn't alone. Bishop lay face down on Locke's chest, his arms splayed out across Locke's skin as he slept. The baby burbled quietly in what Terra assumed was a peaceful sleep. A faint smile curled her lips as she crept into the room, her eyes focusing on the baby.

Setting the slate aside on Nestor's small chest of drawers, Terra took a seat on the edge of the bed. A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips as Locke gave a faint snore and shifted, laying a hand over the baby. With gentle hands, Terra brushed Locke's fingers aside and set a hand on the infants back. For being in nothing but his cloth diaper; Bishop was comfortably warm. Sighing, she gently lifted the infant from his little sleeping place and tucked him into the crook of her arm. He burbled once and looked up at her with one bleary brown eye.

"Hey, pup." Terra mumbled, gently rubbing the back of a finger against his cheek. "How did you end up all the way over here?"

"Marian gave him to me." Locke said, his voice soft from sleep. "She said I could hide in here for a while as long as I took him. Katrin needed a break."

"Ah, I see." Terra chuckled quietly, still rubbing at the baby's cheek. "And, why are you hiding?"

"I wasn't feeling well." Locke stated simply, running his fingers back through his hair. A smile tugged at his lips as he nodded towards and empty cup on the dresser beside him. "She brought me an infusion that knocked me out, didn't think he'd sleep too."

"Babies do that if they get bored enough." Terra chuckled, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. She hefted the baby before her, planting his little feet on her thighs and looking him in the face. Bishop blinked back at her steadily, his brown eyes bright.

"Celes is worried about you." Terra said softly, keeping her eyes on the baby's face.

"I'm not surprised." Locke sighed, sitting up in the bed. He rubbed at the back of his head for a moment and gazed at her, a frown on his lips. "But hey, if she doesn't want to talk to me, I'm not going to exhaust myself trying to keep her attention."

"I understand." The half esper said, cradling the baby once more. "But, can you blame her for being angry?"

"Well…no. She's right, I should have told her I was leaving." Locke agreed with another sigh, hanging his head. "But, why would she come here if she was angry with me?"

"Maybe to try and work it out?"

"Well, yeah. But, then there's no reason for her to come into this with the silent treatment. She's a little too old to be playing that game."

"I don't think it's the silent treatment as we think of it as a child." Terra explained with a chuckle. "Haven't you ever been so mad at someone that you couldn't talk to them without shouting?"

"Yeah."

"Maybe that's why she isn't talking to you. She's afraid she'll shout."

"Did she tell you that?"

"No, it's an educated guess."

"I can accept that…"Locke replied, rubbing at his face with his hands. "Still, it's annoying."

"So is being left behind by someone who's supposed to love and look after you." Terra frowned, fixing him with a steady gaze. "You walked out on her, Locke. Left her there. And, safe or not, it hurt. She has every reason to be acting this way."

"Yeah, yeah. I know." The treasure hunter grumbled, brushing his hair away from his face. "But, how do I make her stop?"

"Try apologizing."

"That won't get me very far."

"With Celes? No…no it won't. But it's a place to start."

"Yeah." Locke chuckled without humor. "A place to start the fight."

"You can't avoid that, Locke." Terra sighed, apologetically. "Running from it will only make it worse. Just get it over with. You can use my house if you need to. Besides, I thought make up sex was supposed to be great."

Locke laughed hard, causing the baby to jerk in Terra's arms. Red faced, he blinked at her, a broad grin on his lips. She offered him a tiny smile, glad to see him laughing.

"That's something I never thought I'd hear come out of your mouth." He said, fighting more laughter. "But, yeah. It is pretty great."

"So, why put it off?" The half esper inquired, gently rocking Bishop as he burbled at her.

"'Cuz I'm chicken…"

"Better not mention chicken around here…"Terra chuckled. "I'd love some, but the eggs are too important."

"Yeah, I feel that." Locke mumbled, laying back against the pillow and crossing his arms behind his head. "Eggs and fish…fish and eggs…maybe a little bread. It's enough to drive ya batty."

"It's enough to keep us alive." The emerald haired woman sighed as she shifted about on the edge of the bed. A faint chuckle escaped her when Bishop pressed his face into her side and nuzzled hard. "Talking of which. I think this one's getting hungry."

"Mm…food." Locke chuckled, a smile curling his lips. "That does sound good."

" I take it that you're feeling better." Terra said with a smirk. "You didn't eat this morning did you?"

"No, I was all out of sorts." The treasure hunter mumbled, his eyes closing. "And then the guys showed up and all thought of it left my mind."

"Mm…yes…the guys."

"You don't sound too happy to have them here."

"Would you be? Knowing the real reason they came, I mean?" Terra sighed and looked away, gently rubbing at Bishop's cheek with her finger. "You don't think Edgar came to talk about politics, do you? Let alone bring everyone along with him just to chat? No, I know why he's really here."

"He's come to try and move you again…"

"Yes, and this time, he's brought back up." The half esper hung her head and allowed her eyes to slip closed briefly. Bishop cooed and nuzzled his face into her breast, showing his hunger once more. "It's not that I don't appreciate his worry for me, but I just can't stand his attempts to show it."

"I don't blame you. The man never could take no for an answer." Locke sighed, blinking up at her from his place against the pillow. "Give him time, Terra. He'll give up."

"No, Locke. He won't. It's been six years and he still hasn't given up on me romantically. There's no way he'll give up on this." Terra stated, glancing at the treasure hunter out of the corner of her eye. "I won't go, Locke."

"I don't expect you to." Locke soothed, sitting up in the bed. He set a gentle hand on her shoulder, drawing her gaze. "They can't make you go if you don't want to. They'll figure that out eventually."

"I hope so." The emerald haired woman sighed, dropping her gaze to the infant in her arms. Thunder boomed overhead, the sound muffled by the new thatching that had just been added to the roof. Sighing, Terra leaned back against Locke's upraised knees and closed her eyes, taking a moment to listen to the drumming of the rain against the roof. She was about to suggest they head to Katrin's house and join the others when a sharp pain in her left breast caused her to cry out. Locke jumped and sat up, his brow knit with worry as he asked what had happened. But, as the pain faded, Terra could only laugh and glance down at the culprit. Bishop blinked back up at her, his little mouth still stuck to her breast in hunger.

"You little ass." She grumbled through her chuckles. "It's called patience."

"He bit you?" Locke asked in shock, his ice blue eyes wide.

"Yes. He's a very demanding little bug." Terra chuckled, gently wiggling a finger into Bishop's mouth to detach him from her breast.

"But, he doesn't have teeth."

"That doesn't mean he can't bite."

"Oh."

"Come on, I need to get him to Katrin and you need to go see your lady before she has a kittens over your disappearance." The half esper said as she rose from the edge of the bed. She had to chuckle when Locke groaned at the prospect of talking to his upset lover.

Locke leaned over the edge of the bed and hefted his stained shirt, pulling it over his head quickly and smoothly. Once dressed, he sat up and tugged his boots up before jumping up from the bed. He offered Terra a goofy grin before turning and lifting the candle from its place on the bedside table. Locke nodded to Terra with a smile and motioned for her to lead the way. Hefting the now wiggling infant, Terra left the little bedroom and made for the front door. As Locke paused to blow out the candle and set it aside, Terra reaching into a side closet and pulled out two oversized cloaks. She passed one to the treasure hunter before draping the other over her shoulders and carefully hiding the baby beneath the folds.

Without a word, she reached for the door and lifted the latch, hauling the heavy door open. The wind howled through the square like a banshee as they stepped out of the house. Chill rain fell from the black sky in sheets, running off their oilcloth cloaks in tiny rivers. Fresh mud squelched beneath their boots as they raced across the square, slipping and sliding in the driving wind. They ran up onto Katrin's deck, blinded by the rain, Bishop screaming all the while. It was much too cold for him out here in the rain and Terra feared he'd catch a chill. She threw off the cloak, allowing it to drop to the wet deck boards, forgotten as she kicked off her boots and raced into the house.

Ignoring Locke's fearful calls, the half esper burst through the front door, startling the pair of women cooking in the kitchen and made for Katrin's room, where Bishop's crib was. Katrin called after her from the kitchen, her footsteps pounding on the wood flooring a moment later as she raced into her room after Terra. The older woman was standing beside the crib when the baby's mother came in. Terra had gently placed the very upset infant on his back in the crib and was stripping him of his cold and damp diaper and was drying him off.

With a heavy sigh of relief, Katrin came into the room, bringing an extra candle in with her. Terra offered the young woman a tiny smile as she fought to wrap the wriggling baby boy in a fresh diaper then dress him in one of the thick cotton onesies his mother had made for him.

"Sorry about that, Katrin." Terra panted, her heart still racing from their run across the square. "I wrapped up with him, but the wind was so harsh that I couldn't keep him completely dry."

"He'll survive." Katrin chuckled, gathering the discarded cloth diaper and dropping it into a wicker basket at her feet. "You have to get sick if you want to get stronger. My Da used to say that."

"Your father had a saying for everything it seems." Terra chuckled, hefting the still upset baby from the crib.

"You know, I think he did." Katrin said with a small smile, her voice thoughtful. "I couldn't get in any kind of trouble without him spouting some kind of wisdom at me."

"Sounds like my mother." Locke interrupted, poking his head in through the bedroom door. "She could put me to sleep with all her 'wisdom'"

"Feeling better?" Katrin inquired as she turned to face Locke with a smile.

"Yes, very much." Locke answered, a smile of his own curling his lips. "Whatever was in that infusion knocked me out."

"You just needed sleep." Katrin shrugged, turning back to where Bishop lay crying. "I know that cry. You little piggy; always hungry."

"Yeah, he bit me because I wouldn't feed him." Terra chuckled, stepping away from the crib and rubbing at the side of her breast.

"Little shi…" Katrin trailed off, waggling her finger at her infant son. "You should know that that won't get you anywhere. Are you all right, Terra?"

"Yes, he didn't do any damage. He startled me more than anything else." Terra said gently, reaching up to brush a stray rain soaked strand of emerald away from her face.

"That's good." Katrin said with an honest smile. She hefted the now dry Bishop from his place in the crib and tucked him into the crook of her arm. "Thank you for taking him Locke, I thought I was going to lose my mind there for a little bit."

"No problem. He's a fun little bug." Locke chuckled, rubbing at the back of his head.

"That he is." Katrin agreed, tossing a glance down at her wriggling boy. "I need to feed him. Locke, everyone's gone downstairs for lessons and game time before dinner. Can you head down there while I feed this bug? And Terra, can I bend your ear for a tick?"

"Yes of course." Terra said, raising an eyebrow as she looked to the woman she regarded as her eldest daughter. "Come on Locke, out."

"Awh, but I want to talk too." Locke moaned, unable to keep the grin from his lips. Terra chuckled and pushed him hard in the side. The man laughed and wobbled, forcing her to press both hands into his side and push.

"I said, march." Terra chuckled, along with Katrin, shoving him hard out the door. With a laugh, Locke left throwing a wink at them over his broad shoulder.

Terra waited until she heard Locke's boots on the basement stairs and then a cry of joyful recognition from the gathered people in the room beneath their feet. After a moment, the emerald haired woman turned back to Katrin, watching patiently as the young mother turned and brought her candle to the bedside along with one of the few books they kept in the house. She drew the blankets back easily and lowered herself onto the edge of the bed. Bishop continued to whimper until his mother tucked him away inside her cotton shirt to eat.

"Close the door for me?" Katrin asked as she leaned against the headboard of the bed.

Terra nodded and reached around behind her to gently press the bedroom door closed, grateful for the moment of peace. With a smile, she went to the bed, chuckling when Katrin hefted her legs up onto the mattress with a few comical grunts. Once settled, Katrin looked up at the older woman with a smile and waved a hand at her.

"Come on then, you're dripping." She said with a laugh. "Get out of those."

"I thought I was supposed to be the mother here." Terra chuckled, taking hold of the hem of her shirt and hauling it up over her head. She hung it on the back of a chair in the corner before slipping out of her breeches and setting them aside as well. Thunder boomed as she reached into Katrin's closet and withdrew one of the heavy robes Terra had made for the woman while she was pregnant. Slipping it on, she made for the bed, scrambling over the younger woman's legs and sprawling across the blankets.

"You are the mother, goof." Katrin giggled, gently adjusting her grip on the hidden baby. Reaching over, she tugged the blankets from underneath Terra and threw them over her, smiling when the older woman pulled them up over her damp head. "Cold much?"

"It's freezing out there." Terra replied, her voice muffled by the blankets. "And in here."

"I have two hearths going, it'll warm up soon." Katrin said, a smile on her lips.

"Can we afford all that wood?"

"Thanks to Locke and Sabin, yes. And besides, after this storm, there will be plenty of deadfall in the woods and orchard." Katrin soothed, rubbing at Bishop's back through her shirt.

"You sound so certain."

"You sound so negative." Katrin sighed, looking to the still covered woman. Terra brushed the blankets aside at peaked up at the younger woman. Katrin caught her gaze, her brow furrowed with worry. "Are you all right, Mama?"

"Yes, I think so." Terra sighed, drawing the blankets back entirely. "Just worn out probably. I am pretty tired."

"Are the past few days finally catching up with you?"

"Most likely. I've been so surprised to see everyone that I haven't really taken a moment to take it all in and get a breath." Terra sighed, rolling onto her back and gazing at the ceiling. "I feel like I've been dreaming. They've all shown up just when we needed them, but the circumstances of their arrival are less than pleasant."

"You don't think that they're going to try again do you?" Katrin inquired, raising her eyebrows. "I'm sorry, Terra. But, they aren't dumb."

"They haven't stopped yet have they?" Terra asked pointedly, closing her eyes. "What makes you think they'll stop now?"

"You have a point." Katrin mumbled, rubbing at Bishop's back. "At least they helped us finish."

"True." Terra sighed, keeping her eyes closed.

"Do you think Locke's getting sick?" Katrin asked softly, changing the subject.

"No, he really is feeling better." Terra mumbled into Duane's pillow, burying her face in the cloth cover. "He's just stressed."

"I don't blame him. But, he really shouldn't have run off like he did without telling Celes."

"Katrin, don't get into it." Terra warned, opening one eye and looking up at the younger woman. "Locke's not exactly the king of good decisions; and Celes knows that. It'll work out. It has too, they were made for each other."

"Hm…" Katrin mumbled, gently pulling a sated Bishop out of his hiding place. The baby burbled at his mother peacefully, allowing her to rub his back until he burped. Satisfied, she looked back to Terra, her expression gentle as the older woman closed her eyes again.

"I'm going to go ahead and stay here for a bit with the baby." She said softly, reaching out a hand to brush a bit of dust from Terra's mostly concealed cheek. "Why don't you stay with me and get some rest?"

Terra was already fast asleep.

-ooo-

What bothered Terra when she awoke was not the fact that she was now alone in Katrin's bed, but that she had fallen asleep at all. The single candle in the room had been blown out upon Katrin's leaving and in the darkness the sound of the rain on the roof was almost overpowering. Sitting up in the bed, she was surprised to find that the robe had been removed and set aside for her. The room was empty, save for her, and the door shut tight. Very little noise came through from the basement below, signifying that lessons were still going.

Satisfied with the thought that she hadn't slept for too long, Terra rolled over onto her belly and fiddled around on the nightstand for a sliver of flint and steel. Upon finding them, she lit the now cold candle before turning her attention to the tightly shut window shutters. They rattled about meekly in what could only be a frightfully powerful wind, the thought putting a sliver of worry in her heart. With a sigh, she sat up in the bed and swung her feet over the edge, frowning at how cold the floorboards were beneath her feet.

"Sorry, we're trying to warm all the rugs." A familiar voice said as the bedroom door cracked open.

Terra looked over her shoulder to find Duane poking his head in through the door, his face sallow in the dim light of the candle. Terra licked her lips, suddenly aware of her dry throat as he came into the room, gently closing the door behind him.

"What are you doing?" He asked, a faint smile on his lips as he came to the bedside, a pot of tea in one hand and an earthenware mug of water in the other. He set them aside and picked up the robe, draping it over her bare shoulders. "Wrap up, we're all fighting to stay warm right now."

"What time is it?" Terra asked, surprised to find her throat painfully scratchy and her voice gravelly.

"Almost supper. Here, drink." Terra took the cup of blessedly chill water and drained it I two gulps. Duane took the cup from her with a smile and filled it with a bitter smelling tea from the pot. Terra's heightened senses told her immediately that it was an infusion of lemon and apple. She wasn't fond of the combination.

"No more mint?" She inquired, grimacing as he handed her the cup.

"No, we have plenty. Valda has insisted that we all drink some of this to keep the chill off. She says the lemon keeps off illness." He replied with a chuckle.

"She could be right, but…"Terra trailed off and took her first gulp from the cup. Sure enough, it was bitter and awful; but it worked wonders to warm her bones. "Goddess, it's awful."

"Yes, it is." Duane laughed, watching as she drained the cup. "I don't even think she likes it."

"I'm sure she doesn't." Terra affirmed, setting the little chipped teacup aside. "Where is everyone?"

"Downstairs." Duane stated, pulling a small wooden chair from the corner and setting it beside the bed so he could sit down. He reclined easily in the little chair and looked to her with a faint smile. "Everyone's settled down for a bit of a nap. When Katrin came downstairs and said you weren't feeling well, we all got a bit worried. I thought Edgar was going to break down the door here for a little while."

"What do you mean?" Terra asked, surprised by Duane's statement. "I feel fine."

"You weren't fine while you were sleeping. You were rolling and sweating like you were sick." The young farmer explained, his expression still soft. "You calmed down once Valda got you out of the robe, but you still weren't sleeping well. Are you sure you're feeling all right?"

"Well, I'm still tired, but I feel just fine."

"Well, I'm glad you're feeling all right." Duane said with a sigh as he leaned back in his chair. "You had a fever there for a bit, enough of one to make Valda nervous."

"A fever? Well…that would explain it…"Terra said, surprised at Duane's statement. "I was dreaming."

"Why is that so strange?"

"Because, it wasn't like my normal dreams…"

"You had a dream?" Terra looked up to find her eldest son, Jacoby, standing in the doorway, a covered tray in his hands.

"Yes." Terra sighed, finding herself unable to smile. "But it was nothing. Come in and close the door."

Her son complied, stepping within and bumping the door shut with his hip. Duane offered the younger man a smile as he set the tray down on the dresser and drew away the cloth. The smell of fresh bread and some kind of vegetable soup filled the air as Jacoby passed a bowl of soup to his mother. She stared at it for a moment, her stomach roiling with both hunger and disgust. This was Valda's recipe, one she adored. But here, looking at it; it disgusted her. It sent her nerves on edge. She couldn't eat this, or anything for that matter. But…why?

"Eat it, Mother." Jacoby encouraged, his voice heavy in the slowly warming air. "It's one of your favorites."

"I can't…"

"Why not, Terra?" Duane asked, his brow furrowing with worry. "Is there something wrong with it?"

"No, I…I just can't." Terra sighed, staring down at what was indeed one of her favorite meals. But her stomach twisted up in a knot and she became very aware of the tea sloshing about within her. "I…I'll try again in a few minutes…"

"All right…"Duane said, his voice gentle as he took the bowl from her and set it back on the tray. "But, to be honest, I've only seen one other person unable to eat like you. Katrin, when she's pregnant."

"She said that too…" Terra stated, staring down at her lap. "But, I can't be."

"We know, Mother." Jacoby sighed, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "You said you had a dream."

"Why is that so surprising?" Duane asked Jacoby, honest curiosity in his voice.

"Because I normally don't dream. When I do, it's only memories." Terra answered for her son, drawing Duane's gaze. "But this time…I actually dreamed."

"Was it a good dream, Mother?" Jacoby inquired, setting a hand on Terra's knee.

"I…I don't know. It was so strange that I really couldn't say."

"What was it about?" Duane asked, leaning forward in his chair and propping his elbows up on his knees.

"I don't remember…"Terra lied, hoping they'd let the subject go. When she actually dreamt, the visions weren't of a very comforting nature.

"Well, if you remember and you need to talk about it, come find me." Duane replied, not picking up on her lie. "I'm good at dream interpretation. I do it for Hope all the time."

"I'll keep that in mind, love." Terra said softly, offering the farmer a small smile.

"Are you sure mother?" Jacoby inquired, his brow furrowed, a sure sign that he knew she was lying to him. "You said it was strange. Was it about...the past? About how you were…"

"Enough…please." Terra said, her voice heavy with finality. She wasn't will to have a conversation like this, not now and probably not ever. She'd put it all behind her. She was human now, nothing more, nothing less. "I'm sorry, just, no more. That's talk for a different world, in a different time. It was just a dream."

"All right, mother." Jacoby said softly, patting his mother's shoulder. "Would you like to try and eat again?"

"Yes, let me try." Terra sighed, accepting the now cold bowl of soup from Duane. She looked down at it for a moment, studying the vegetable bits as they floated about in the broth. Taking up the spoon, she filled it with just the cold broth and brought it too her lips. When her stomach didn't flop over, she sucked the liquid from the spoon and swallowed hard.

It was awful when it was cold.

With a shudder, she dropped the spoon back into the bowl and held it away from herself while the other two laughed, teasing her for not thinking before she drank. She scowled at the two of them, sticking her tongue out like a child and drawing more laughter. Duane took the bowl from her, intent on reheating the soup in the pot. Terra rose from the bed, and made to follow, tucking the large robe closer around herself to keep warm. In the time that she had been sleeping, her clothes had been taken from the room to be cleaned. Frowning, she tugged a pair of Katrin's socks out from one of her drawers and tucked her feet into them, to ward off the chill. Jacoby chuckled as he got up from his spot on the bed and made for the door, a faint frown on his lips.

Terra offered her son a tiny smile and followed him to the door. But, as he opened the door for her, her vision blurred for the briefest of moments. She paused as the world suddenly began to swim in and out of focus, the change in her vision setting her eyes streaming. She gasped and reached out for her son, who caught her hand suddenly. He was asking her something, but it felt and sounded as though someone had stuffed cotton in her ears. Jacoby's muffled voice grew louder as he called out for help. But, as help came running, a thin pinprick of pain formed in her lower stomach. It sat there calmly for a moment before roaring to life like a coal thrown into a fire. She gasped again and clamped a hand to her lower stomach, feeling her legs give way.

_Pain pain! This one hurt!_

A pair of strong arms clamped about her as she crumpled to the floor. The smell of fine evergreen and salt told her that it had been Jacoby who caught her, the knowledge bringing a sense of peace amid the pain. Then, as quickly as it came, the pain and the dizziness passed, leaving her clear and calm. As her ears cleared she could hear footsteps pounding up the stairs and voices clamoring from all directions.

"What happened?" She inquired past what felt like a wad of cotton that had been stuffed in her mouth.

"Mother!" Jacoby gasped, tightening his grip on her. "Oh thank the heavens. You collapsed. Just rest for a moment, all right?"

"What's all the commotion?"

Terra allowed Jacoby to settle her comfortably on the floor before looking up. A group of both adults and children had gathered around her, their eyes brimming with fear as she blinked up at them. Terra felt her face heating as Celes came away from the stairs and knelt beside her on the floor, her sapphire eyes clouded.

"Did you fall?" The ex-general asked, reaching for the half esper's hand.

"Yes, she just went down." Jacoby said softly, rubbing at his mother's back. "I don't know what happened."

"I'm not quite sure myself." Terra explained, catching Celes' eye. "I think I just got up too fast."

"Are you all right?" Celes inquired, frowning at the people clamoring behind her. There was something in the downturn of the blonde's full lips that told Terra she didn't believe her.

"I am now." Terra grumbled, slowly getting her feet beneath her. Celes gripped the half-esper's upper arm and guided her to her feet, keeping herself close in the event Terra fell again. And for once, Terra was grateful for the blonde's worry for her as she wobbled for a few moments.

"I'm surprised though." She said, brushing herself off with one hand while Celes took her other one. "It happens to me so rarely."

"You probably just haven't eaten enough." Celes soothed, pressing a hand into the small of Terra's back. Her voice carried a burden of deeper meaning that set Terra's nerves on edge.

"Well, I was about to." Terra explained, her voice surprisingly soft and tired. "But…"

"Come into the kitchen and let's get you a bowl." Valda interrupted, wiping her hands with her apron. A frown curled her lips as she looked at the gathered people. "All right you lot, she's fine. Happens to everyone. Now scoot, all of you."

"You sure?" Sabin inquired from his place on the basement stairs. "What the hell happened?"

"She had a head rush." Jacoby explained, looking over his shoulder at the man. "You know, when you stand up too fast?"

"Will you be all right, doll face?" Locke piped in. His brow was furrowed when Terra looked to him, his blue eyes sparkling with worry.

"Yes, Locke." The half esper soothed, giving Celes' fingers a reassuring squeeze. "Honestly, I feel fine. I just got dizzy and fell. It happens to everyone, doesn't it?"

There was a murmur of consensus throughout the group, each nodding in turn. With a huff, Valda and Katrin shepherded them downstairs again, the deep boom of thunder following their leaving. Terra sighed and raised a hand to rub at her temples, her head suddenly throbbing from the commotion.

"Come on, let's get something to eat." Celes crooned, still gripping Terra's hand tightly.

The tall blonde gently led Terra into the tiny breakfast nook set off to the side of the kitchen. The half-esper slid easily into the seat, the sound of rain falling on the windows beside the table drawing her gaze outside. In the time that she had been sleeping, a gloomy pallor had fallen over the village, leaving it murky and gray, a mere shadow of its normal joyful light and color.

"It's been coming down almost constantly." Celes said softly, breaking Terra from her thoughts as she sat down across the table. "It's got me a little worried."

"Don't be." Terra sighed, turning her attention to the woman across the table. "The harder it rains now, the sooner it'll blow itself out. Besides, we need the water."

"Hah, you can have some of ours. Kholingen almost flooded this past spring." Celes chuckled. "Poor Anya, we had to bring her inside the house for a few days, otherwise she'd have gotten sick. I'm still finding feathers in the mudroom."

"Poor thing. She must have been so cramped." Terra said quietly, dropping her gaze to the table. She had a feeling Celes was inching towards a subject that Terra didn't want to discuss.

"Oh, she was. I felt so bad for her. But then, I'm thinking about widening it out in case we have to bring her inside again..." Celes continued wistfully. "I just don't know what to do with it yet. I might just hire one of those new designer fellow to help me figure it out."

"If you ask me, sweetie. It's a waste of money." Valda entered, coming to the table, a bowl of soup ion each hand. She set them out before the two women, handing spoons to each and offering each a cup of water before she continued. "I don't need anyone to tell me how to make my house look good. Only I can do that."

"You have a point." Celes said, a faint smile curling her lips. A moment later, however, her smile faded and her brow furrowed. "It would be easier if Locke would stay closer to home."

"Is he running off again?" Terra asked, a sudden sense of fear gripping her heart as the subject she dreaded approached. What was she supposed to do: agree to help convince Locke to stay home? Terra liked having him here to much to do that. But the fact that he was Celes' significant other tore at her as well.

"Oh, I hate it when it gets described like that." Celes grumbled surprising Terra as she filled her spoon with soup and took a sip. "But, no, not recently anyway. But, when he does go, he's gone for weeks at a time. It's driving me crazy."

"Have you talked to him about it?" Valda inquired, bringing a pot of tea to the table and taking a seat. "He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would just run off."

"Well, he isn't. But, I'm not the kind of woman to stop him from doing what he wants. And it's not like he's off playing around with other women." Celes whined, taking another sip from her soup. Terra couldn't blame her for being upset though, she wouldn't have been able to stand being in Celes' situation .

"I just wish he'd stay home." The blonde continued, staring at the steaming pot of tea, her normally bright sapphire eyes holding a hint of loneliness that tore at Terra's aching heart even more.

"Why don't you talk to him about it?" Valda asked, pouring herself a cup of tea.

"I'm tired of talking about it. He just ignores me." Celes sighed, her face suddenly gaunt with exhaustion. "He just leaves again."

"Celes, I don't think he's ignoring you." Terra stated flatly, disappointed with her friend's assumption, hoping to bring some of the light back to her friend's face. "He's a treasure hunter, he's spent most of his life traveling. It's natural for him."

"But, it's only in the last two years that he's done this." Celes affirmed, her voice meek as she kept her head down. "He just says goodbye one day, then he's gone."

"I don't know what to tell you Celes." Terra sighed honestly, uncertain of what else to say or do.

"I wish you'd tell him something instead." The blonde said softly, staring down into her soup. "He always listens to you."

"Celes, it's not my place to say anything."

"I know, I know. I just wish I knew what to do."

"Well for now," Valda interrupted, catching their gaze. "Eat. You can't solve life's problems on an empty stomach. And Terra, you're not leaving this kitchen until that bowl is empty."

"Yes mother." Terra teased. She cast a glance at her now reheated bowl of soup, eyeing the fresh tendrils of steam steadily rising out of it. Taking up her spoon, she took a tentative sip, fearing her stomach would be hateful after her fall. She was surprised to find herself ravenously hungry the moment the hot broth touch her tongue.

"Whoa, somebody found her appetite." Valda teased as Terra tore into her soup with gusto. "Slow down. The last thing you need is the hiccups."

"Sorry. I just got so hungry all of the sudden." Terra explained with a blush as the hot soup warmed her belly. "A few minutes ago, my stomach rolled over when I tried to eat. Now I can't stop."

"Hey, I'll take it as long as you're eating." Valda chuckled, a warm smile curling her lips as she regarded the younger woman.

"Do you have any idea what you sound like?" Celes entered, amusement coloring her tone. "One minute you can't eat and the next you're starving…"

"I sound pregnant." Terra stated, not looking at either of them as she swallowed another spoonful.

"Yes, you do." Celes laughed, taking a spoonful of soup herself. "Is everything all right?"

"Mhm." Terra replied, nodding enthusiastically, Celes' true meaning lost on her. "Things are fine. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious." Celes said, taking a sip of Valda's bitter tea.

Terra missed the curious glance Celes tossed at Valda. The older woman merely shrugged at the blonde, unable to answer her unspoken question. Finished with her soup, Terra set her bowl aside and looked to the two, one eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"What is it?" She inquired, her heart pausing a beat when she caught a glimpse of suspicion in Celes' rich blue gaze.

"Nothing. A little tired from the trip is all." Celes stated simply, a delicate shrug sending her long hair tumbling over one shoulder. Terra gazed at her steadily, easily sensing the lie in her friend's tone.

Something was wrong with Celes, but for all her thinking, Terra just couldn't put a finger on it. A little cloud at the back of her mind told her it was more than just Locke's random wandering that was getting to the pretty blonde, and the thought set Terra's nerves on edge. What could it be? Was Celes having nightmares again? But the former general had sworn she'd gotten beyond her issues with her past. Chewing on her lower lip, Terra gazed down at the grain in the table, willing it to open up and give her the answers.

Finding herself unable to stand that odd look in her friend's eye, Terra rose from the table, taking her cup and empty bowl with her. She gazed at the soup pot for a moment, uncertain if she should try and eat a little more. When no desire to do so came over her, her set the bowl aside and turned back to the others. She mustered up a tired smile and excused herself, claiming that she wanted to see how lessons were going. The moment she left the kitchen, the whispering she expected Valda and Celes to take up began, settling a cloud of gloom over her heart. With a sigh, she stepped away from the kitchen archway, determined to get away from the sound of their whispering.

Canaan and Shadow had sequestered themselves on the sofa in the living room, a battered game of chess laid out of the table between them. Canaan raised a hand in greeting as she came into the room, a smile on his lips as he bent back over the board. With the flick of a wrist, he gently moved a piece of rock representing a pawn across the chipped and pitted board.

"How are you feeling?" The farmer asked, not taking his eyes from the board as Shadow moved a piece across the squares.

"Better, now that I've eaten." Terra answered, coming to stand beside the table. "Really, I just got dizzy."

"Happens to everyone." Canaan said with a faint chuckle.

"Do you recall your reaction to being on the floating continent?" Shadow inquired quietly, keeping his eyes focused on the game. "This same thing happened then too."

"You're right." Terra agreed, recalling the incident. Both she and Locke had trouble with the altitude and had suffered the same symptoms; dizziness, blurred vision and a headache. But…what about the sudden pain in her belly?

"As long as you're okay, I'll accept any explanation." Canaan said, claiming one of Shadow's pawns with a rook.

"Do you know what's going on downstairs?" Terra inquired, changing the subject unless Celes got wind of their talk of the floating continent. Yes, Celes had gotten better in the past few years, much better. But, that didn't stop the need to keep talk of their ordeal out of her earshot.

"Lessons just ended I think." Canaan explained, looking up briefly. "Everyone should be getting ready for supper about now."

"Oh, good. I'd better go help." Terra mumbled, turning away from the game and making for the stairs.

"Terra," Shadow called after her. She paused at the top of the stairs and glanced back, her brow furrowing when he caught her gaze. "Be mindful on the steps."

Confused, she nodded to the ninja, raising a hand to brush a stray lock of emerald behind her ear. Shadow's comment bothered her. She always watched where she was putting her feet, so why would he say something about it? Was he worried that she'd fall? Or was it something else? Shaking her head to throw off the thought, she took hold of the old railing and started down the steps, keeping her gaze on her feet.

"…look, I just know you're not telling me the truth Locke. I need to know what happened."

"I told you what happened. Why are you harping on this, Edgar?"

Terra paused mid step as the harsh whispers caught her ear. Taking a breath, she pressed herself up against the wall, wondering what could have gotten Locke and Edgar to step away from the rest of the group.

"Because it's important to me." Edgar continued, his voice holding a frustration that put Terra's teeth on edge. It wasn't often that Edgar got upset, but when he did it was usually over something big. What could have happened?

"It's important to all of us." Locke replied, a growl of anger coloring his voice. "Look, we can argue about this later."

"No, we're talking about it now." Edgar rumbled, a note of finality in his tone. "I'm not putting this off anymore. Locke, just tell me. I want her safe."

"Terra's not in any danger, Edgar. You act like she's some kind of damsel in distress."

"After what just happened up there, she might as well be."

"Edgar, we will talk about this later." Locke growled at the king. "Now is not the time. Valda said supper was ready."

"Perfect, we can talk about it over dinner."

"No," Terra said finally, fed up with this nonsense. She came down the steps slowly, catching their shocked gazes as anger welled up within her. They had no right to be talking about this without her. "We will talk about this together, but not around the children."

"Terra, I…" Edgar started, floundering over his words. He blinked at her with undisguised horror, his green eyes almost glassy. "You shouldn't have come down alone."

"Edgar, stop it." The half esper said firmly, fighting to keep from grinding her teeth as she gazed at him. "I think I can handle the stairs."

Edgar looked stricken, his eyes wide as he backed away. Beside him, Locke shifted his weight from foot to foot, her sudden appearance leaving him nervous. Terra found herself frowning at the two of them, overcome with a sudden feeling of shame. She fought back a lump in her throat as she tore her eyes away, suddenly unable to look at them.

"Gentlemen, I think enough is enough." She said simply, brushing past them. Taking a breath, she clapped her hands sharply, calling attention to herself. "All right everyone. It's almost supper time, wash up please."

A collective cheer rose from the children as they got up from their lesson, setting their slates on the shelves and heading for the washbasins set against the wall. At the front of the room Marian slumped, seemingly glad to have the lesson over with. Ignoring the two behind her, Terra made her way across the stone floor to the older woman, her brow furrowed as she looked to her.

"What's the matter?" She inquired, watching as Marian took a seat on the little stool she kept. "Rough lesson?"

"No, just a recap on what we learned last time. I was too tired for anything else." The scarred woman explained with a sigh. "It's Edgar. He wouldn't stop trying to ask me questions while I was waiting for them to complete a task. He just kept asking me what had happened to you in Figaro and why you collapsed here."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him to buzz off and let me teach." The woman said with a smirk, drawing a chuckle out of Terra.

"Did he take it well?"

"Not at all, he grabbed hold of Locke the first chance he got and they've been arguing ever since." Marian explained with a sigh as she rubbed at her temples. "I feel bad for the poor man."

"If there's one thing Locke can handle, it's Edgar." Terra replied throwing a sidelong glance at the men still talking by the stairwell.

"What are you going to do?" The scarred woman inquired, her brow knit with worry as she pushed herself up from the stool. "You know why they're here."

"I'm going to have to put a stop to this nonsense." Terra sighed, bending to heft a blanket up from the floor, folding it up easily. "I hate to start it, but there's probably going to be an argument."

"You'll survive." Marian crooned, gently rubbing at Terra's shoulder. With a sigh, the woman rose from her stool and called out to the freshly washed children. "All right, everyone upstairs."

Terra stood aside as the children moved towards the stairs like a mob, their faces bright as they raced up the steps to grab their bowls. A few of the older children remained behind however, to keep out of the mad dash as the Returners went for supper as well. Sighing, Marian excused herself to go aid Katrin and Valda in spooning out the soup. Terra remained behind however, her eyes falling on the blankets and pillows that had been strewn about on the floor during lessons. She gazed at them steadily for a moment, willing them to clean themselves up before she bent and began to heft them up from the floor, setting them into the cubbies and shelves in which they belonged.

"Terra?"

She looked up at the sound of her name, surprised to find Locke coming towards her from the stairs. A frown curled her lips at the look of nervous tension that covered his face. He came to stand beside her, his hands stuffed roughly into his pockets as he looked over his shoulder in the event that someone was listening.

"I'm sorry…"He mumbled, dropping his gaze to the floor. "Edgar's been getting out of hand lately."

"Yes, he has." Terra agreed, feeling annoyance well up in her again. "But, we'll deal with this tomorrow. I'm not talking about it now."

"Terra…."Locke sighed as she turned away and made for the steps that led up to the children's beds. "Can I help?"

"Yes, I'm sure the hearth needs tending." Terra said softly, wanting to be free of him.

Locke nodded at her dismissal, stuffing his hands into his pockets and heading for the nearby fire pit, his head hanging low. Terra's brow furrowed as she went up the steps, reveling in the warmth that radiated off the wood flooring. Sighing, she took a seat on the edge of one of the beds, her will to clean suddenly leaving her.

**Six years, one week, twenty-three hours, forty-eight minutes after the death of Kefka Palazzo.**

"I once knew an old lady who swallowed a fly."

"Nu-uh!"

"Ya-huh. She did, I watched her."

"Why?"

"I don't know why she swallowed the fly…I wonder if she died…"

"Locke! That's gross…."

"Gross…but true."

"What are you two doing?"

Locke looked up, surprised to find Katrin coming down the muddy slope towards him, her skirts tied up as high as she could modestly keep them, her cheeks red from the damp chill of the morning. The rain had stopped shortly before dawn, taking the thunder and lightning with it. But, when Locke had asked Terra about it, she warned him that there was a second set of clouds coming in behind this one and it would start raining again before noon.

"Hope doesn't believe that I knew someone who swallowed a fly." Locke joked, a cheeky grin curling his lips as he looked to Katrin, his hand pausing in his gutting of that morning's catch.

"Oh for heavens sake." Katrin chuckled, planting her hands on her hips as she raised an eyebrow at him. "Even I don't believe that."

"Why not?" Locke chuckled, chopping the head off a particularly large bass. "It's possible."

"Because it's disgusting." Katrin groaned, making a face. Up on the porch, Hope giggled and bounced, mimicking her mother's expression.

"You know, they eat bugs in the southern islands." Locke stated matter of factly, making quick work of scaling his fish. "They say they're good for you."

"Oh sure…"Katrin mumbled sarcastically as she bent to take Locke's cast off bowl and replace it with an empty one. "What, do they taste like chicken?"

"Some do." Locke smiled, gently sweeping his workspace clean before taking his knife to a new fish. "The ones with wings at least."

"Have you ever eaten a bug?" Hope asked as she plopped down on the porch floorboards and stuck her heavily booted feet through the railing.

"Me? No, never had the chance." The treasure hunter explained with a smirk, glancing up at the little girl.

"You mean you would if you could?" Hope asked, her eyes wide as she peered at Locke through the bars in the railing.

"Oh sure." Locke chimed, unable to keep from chuckling. "As long as it's cooked right. And by a master chef."

"That's disgusting, Locke." Katrin grumbled, drawing a sharp laugh from the treasure hunter. "Don't put that nonsense in her head."

"Oh come on Katrin, it's all in good fun." Locke chuckled, making quick work of his fish and reaching for another. "Talking of fun, how's Ava?"

"Better." Katrin sighed adjusting the bowl of fish guts on her hip. "She says she's getting hungry, but I don't know what to feed her."

"Bread. It'll soak up some of the nastiness in her stomach." Locke tried, hoping it would help. "What happened?"

"She is a young lady, Locke." Katrin said, keeping her voice down. "And she's of an age where…well. And sometimes…it makes a lady sick. She'll be on her feet soon. It was good of you to do this for her today, she's very grateful."

"No problem. I know how the smell of fish can turn anyone's stomach over." Locke replied goodnaturedly wiping sweat from his cheek with the back of his hand. "Am I still the only one up?"

"No, Setzer was up just after you left." She said with a smile. "He had started up the oven before I even got out of bed."

"Good man." Locke said, taking up another fish.

"I'm surprised you went out to get those today. The river must have been awful."

"It was, but it was nothing we couldn't handle."

"That's good, but you didn't take Duane."

"Yeah, we figured that yesterday was hard enough on him, so we took Alan and Einon with us instead.

"Einon went?" Katrin asked suddenly, her soft brown eyes widening with surprise. "How'd he do?"

"Really well actually." Locke replied a smirk curling his lips as he swept the last of the fish remains aside. "He seemed to enjoy it. Wouldn't stop trying to soak Jacoby."

"Do they get along okay?" The woman inquired, watching him clean the knife with an expert hand.

"Much better then I thought they would have." Locke said softly, setting the knife into its little box. "It's not like they've been together forever, but they're both trying. And I actually learned something interesting about Einon today."

"Oh, what's that?"

"He knows how to make cheese."

Katrin just stared at him for a moment, eyes wide as she took in the unexpected news. A moment later a bright smile curled her lips and she clapped her hands in excitement.

"Well, I'll have to test him." She said brightly her face threatening to split in two from the broadness of her grin. "Every time I've tried I've ended up with something awful."

"Go for it, he sounded pretty excited when he was talking. He couldn't believe you didn't have any." Locke smirked, glancing at Hope as she started humming.

"Talking of which, where is he?" Katrin asked, glancing about the foggy village.

"Washing up, he got more mud and water on himself than he did on Jacoby and Alan." Locke chuckled glancing up the hill towards Terra's house. The half esper herself stood outside the house, hurriedly washing a load of laundry before the rain started again.

"You mean he bathes himself?" Katrin asked, a smile on her lips as she feigned shock. Locke couldn't help but laugh.

"Yes, he does." He replied a moment later, wiping his hands on his damp pants. "I just hope he's good at it."

"Locke!"

"Looks like he is. Here he comes." Katrin stated, looking up the hill in the direction of the shout.

Einon came barreling down the side of the hill, his cheeks red for both the chill and a good scrubbing as he slipped and slid in the thick mud. Terra frowned at him as he ran past, but rather than stopping him, she returned to scrubbing at the laundry. The kid skidded to a halt beside Locke, almost running into him when the mud beneath him gave way. Locke put a hand out to steady the now panting boy who just looked up at him with a toothy grin.

"Whoa, hold your birds kiddo." Locke chuckled taking his hand away when he was certain the kid wouldn't fall. "What's up? You just blew past your mother up there without saying anything."

"Wha…huh?" Einon asked, still panting. He looked back up the hill to where Terra was still washing, his face red from embarrassment now as well. "Oh. Oh, sorry."

"Well spill it, young man." Katrin said, crossing her arms over her chest as Einon looked to her. "What's got you so excited?"

"Cheese." The kid replied simply, shrugging his shoulders as he looked to the woman. "Locke said you didn't know how."

"Well it's…"

"I'll show you! My Grandpa showed me how to make it a long time ago." Einon urged, his copper eyes bright.

"All right, all right." Katrin laughed, gently reaching out to place a hand on the kid's shoulder. To Locke's surprise, Einon didn't recoil from her touch as he would have a few days ago. "But, let's wait until this storm gets its rear out of our way. Deal?"

"Deal…" Einon said after a moment, his voice soft almost as with disappointment. "How long will that be?"

"Terra, your Ma, says another day of this and that'll be it." Locke explained, a smile tugging at his lips as the young man blinked up at him a curious glint in his eyes.

"How does she know that?" The kid inquired.

"Listen, it's a long story." Locke said, absently waving the boy off, uncertain if he should tell Einon the truth about his new mother. But the look of disappointment in the kid's eyes sent a twinge of guilt through his heart. "Look, if you go help Jacoby repair the nets, I'll talk her into helping me tell you when we get stuck inside again."

"Well, all right." Einon frowned. "But it better be good."

"Oh, it is kid." Locke mumbled as the Einon turned and raced back up the hill towards his mother, who smiled at him. "It's the best story you'll ever hear."

"That's for sure." Katrin agreed, gently balancing the cast off bowl on her hip as Locke took up the bowl of the freshly cleaned and cut fish. "He probably won't believe you."

"Goddess, I wouldn't believe it either if I hadn't been there." Locke mumbled, watching as smoke suddenly began billowing out of the meeting hall chimney. "Looks like the crew is waking up, we'd better get moving. Thanks for letting us stay there last night."

"No problem, there was no way you were going to make it to Setzer's airship last night. Besides, it gets pretty comfortable in there when you get the hearth going and lay down some blankets." The woman said, following his gaze towards the still closed up hall.

"Yeah, it was great." Locke agreed, glancing down at the bowl of fish in his hands.

"Come on you," Katrin said with a smile. "Let me get those inside and you go and get cleaned up before breakfast."

Locke nodded and passed her the bowl of fish with a grateful smile. He hadn't had the chance to clean himself up once they had come back from the river. Katrin took the bowl from him with a smirk, balancing it on her other hip as she turned away and headed into the house, calling for her daughter to follow. Brushing his hands on his damp pants, Locke started up the hill towards Terra's little house without a second thought.

The half esper straightened and offered him a delicate smile as he approached, the sparkle in her eye warming his heart. He smiled softly and raised a hand in silent greeting as he came to stand with her, watching as she bent and ran a pair of breeches against her washboard.

"You smell terrible." She commented as she straightened to wring out the soaked breeches.

"I let the boys clean up first." Locke explained with a shrug, his shoulders suddenly aching. "Besides, someone had to clean the fish."

"Ava's still not out?"

"No, Canaan says she's still asleep." Locke sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "After last night, I don't blame her. Is she going to be all right, Terra?"

"Yes, of course she will." Terra chuckled, turning to hang the breeches up on the clothesline. "It happens to the best of us. She'll be better this afternoon."

"I hope so." The treasure hunter mumbled. "Canaan said she was sick all night too."

"Don't let it get to you." Terra said gently, offering him a smile. "Are the others up yet?"

"Not sure, someone started up the hearth in the hall, but I haven't seen anyone yet."

"Well, why don't you go clean up and maybe they'll be out when you get back. Oh, I've set that shirt aside to repair, you know, the one you tore yesterday up on Katrin's roof? I'll have it for you once you're done." Terra said, offering him another smile.

"Oh, good." Locke murmured watching as she straightened once more, her eyes darkening as she wrung the wash water from a shirt. He nodded to her briefly before slipping past her and behind the tiny cottage, heading for the bathhouse.

What he had hoped would be a quick bath turned out to take a little longer than Locke had hoped. It had taken him a little while to reheat the bath water on the little cast iron stove. Once the water was warm enough, he bathed quickly, relishing in the feel of the warm water against his chill flesh. Once he was clean and as close to dry as one could get in this damp weather, Locke shrugged into his pants and boots, hoping that Terra had finished with his shirt. It was warm in the little bathhouse thanks to the stove, but the gray and roiling clouds beyond the tiny window warned of the deepening chill outside.

Taking a breath, he threw sand over the fire in the tiny stove, watching it go out with a little puff of smoke. Stepping back, he gathered up his filthy clothes and left the bathhouse, hurriedly tucking his feet into his boots. The air on the other side of the door was bitterly cold, much more so than it should have been this time of year. He shook himself and ran around the side of the house, cursing himself for not sewing up his shirt sooner, it was too cold to be running around without his shirt.

Terra had vanished from her place at the wash bucket when he came around the side of the house. He looked around for her for a moment before the delicate sound of her humming drew him inside. It was comfortably warm inside the tiny cabin, a fire crackling jovially in the hearth as he came in the front door. Terra sat peacefully at the dining table, his shirt splayed out before her as she worked at it studiously, bone needle in hand. Locke was surprised to find Shadow seated on the sofa, his blankets tucked beside him as he laced up his leather bracers. The dark man blinked up at him, nodding in greeting as the treasure hunter came in through the door, allowing it to slip shut behind him. Terra raised her head to offering him a smile as Jacoby's door opened and he came from within, his brother in tow as they carefully carried a repaired net between them.

"Did it work?" Terra asked, turning her attention to her sons.

"Yep, yep." Einon chimed happily, his eyes bright as he and his elder brother bent to lay the rolled net on the floor.

"Once we hung it on the back of the door, we found the breaks easily." Jacoby entered, a faint smile tugging at this thin lips as he brush a stray lock of black away from his eyes. "Thank you for the suggestion, Shadow."

The ninja nodded gently but did speak, keeping his eyes on his bracers as he continued to lace them. Terra smiled and looked back to her work while Jacoby and Einon hefted the net once more and started out the front door with it, ready to store it in the stable once until it was needed. The door shut quietly behind them as they started down the hill, leaving those within the house in a comfortable silence.

"I am pleased." Shadow said softly, his husky voice cutting through the silence like a knife. Locke looked to him, one eyebrow raised in confusion.

"With?" The treasure hunter inquired, glancing briefly at Terra.

"You." Shadow replied, looking up from his bracers. "Your treatment of the boy has brought him out as a man, rather than a monster."

"Huh?" Locke asked quite bluntly, gazing at the ninja.

"I think Shadow is trying to say that if it weren't for you, Einon wouldn't be the person he is right now." Terra explained, pushing the shirt away and sitting back in her chair.

Shadow nodded in agreement before carefully lifting his mask from the coffee table before him and gently wrapping it about his head, hiding his face from view. Once satisfied, the ninja rose from the sofa, his great beast of a dog appearing out from beneath the dining table as he made for the door. Interceptor huffed peacefully at Locke as he passed, his ears pricked up in a rather friendly fashion as he paused to sniff at the treasure hunter's hand. Locke remained still as he gazed down at the hound, remembering the animal's normal response to being touched. But the great beast just huffed once more and rubbed his face into the back of Locke's hand, absently licking his muzzle. For lack of a better response, Locke allowed Interceptor to get his head beneath his hand, scratching carefully at the hound's ears.

"We have company." Shadow stated, opening the door. Setzer's tall form appeared in the doorway a moment later, a smirk on his pale lips as he nodded to the ninja.

"Quite the doorbell you have here, Terra." The gambler commented as Shadow slipped out the door past him, though Interceptor remained behind, content with Locke scratching his head.

Terra simply chuckled in response and bent back over the shirt, her needle working quickly.

"If anyone's up for breakfast, the hall should be cleared shortly." Setzer said offhandedly, glancing at Locke and raising an eyebrow. "Though, I suggest you get dressed before you head down there."

"Psh, put clothes on. Why would I want to do that?" Locke questioned in a poor attempt at humor.

"Because your lady friend is pissed enough at you as it is. Seeing you shirtless would make things worse." The gambler explained, taking a seat on the arm of the sofa. "She wasn't too happy to find you gone this morning."

"Why would she be angry?" The treasure hunter questioned, raising an eyebrow as he looked to the gambler. "All I did was go to the river with Canaan and the boys."

"I know, I know." Setzer sighed, raising a hand to rub at his temples. "Just work it out. I'm not sticking around to watch you two fight."

"But, I just diffused a fight last night." Locke grumbled in exasperation, running his fingers through his hair. "What the hell was I supposed to do? Wake her up before dawn just to tell her I was going fishing?"

"Don't look at me." Setzer said, holding up his hands defensively. "This is why I'm single."

"Don't worry about it, Locke." Terra chuckled, pausing to tear the thread with her teeth. "She's always grumpy in the morning when she stays here. It just takes her awhile to get used to the weather."

"I hope that's all it is." Locke grumbled, dropping his gaze when Terra rose from her seat.

The half esper gave the newly repaired shirt a good shake before holding it out to the treasure hunter. He took it from her with what he could muster of a smile, pulling it over his head. Pausing, he looked down at the neat line of stitching, running his fingers over it before looking back at her, a true smile curling his lips.

"Thank you." He muttered, his heart fluttering as a smile found her bloodless lips.

"It's nothing." She murmured, fingering a lock of her loose hair. "Now, come on and get proper, it'll be time for breakfast soon."

"Mm food…Give Celes something to fill her mouth with other than words." Setzer smirked, ignoring Locke's glare as he glanced at a giggling Terra.

"Be nice, Setzer." The woman scolded lightly, bending over the table to put her thread and needle into their little sewing box. "This isn't normally like her and you know it."

"Loud and obnoxious?" Setzer questioned, his smirk growing. "Sounds normal to me."

"Knock it off, Setzer." Locke growled in warning, narrowing his eyes at the gambler.

"And why should I, Cole?" The silver haired pilot inquired, turning a challenging gray eye to him. "You going to start a fight over it?"

"Not in my house, you're not." Terra interrupted, a note of finality in her tone as she faced them, hand firmly planted on her hips. "You know my rules."

Silence fell over them as Locke dropped his gaze, staring at his feet while Setzer did the same. Interceptor huffed and shuffled away from Locke, his tail swishing elegantly back and forth and he strutted across the floor to the half esper, his ears pricked forward in inquiry. Terra sighed and slumped, setting a hand on the hound's head and patting gently. Interceptor huffed and closed his eyes, the movement of his tail reflecting his satisfaction.

"All right you two, out." She said after a moment, drawing Locke's gaze. Her face was thin and gaunt as she kept her eyes on the dog, a frown on her lips. "It's time to start on breakfast."

"But Terra…" Locke began, her frown bothering him.

"Enough Locke." Terra said, cutting him off. "I really need to start cooking. How does your shirt feel?"

"Good. Thank you." Locke replied, his eyes wide as he gazed at her.

"I'm glad. Excuse me." Terra mumbled, brushing past him and out the door, leaving Interceptor behind. The hound whimpered as he padded to the open door, watching her jog down the hill, her long red skirt fluttering about her.

"Wh-what?" Locke questioned, watching her go. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure." Setzer stated, rising from his place on the sofa and going to the door. "Something's very wrong here. One second she's fine…the next it's like she's someone else."

"Why would she think we were serious about a fight?" Locke inquired, looking to the pilot.

"I'm not sure. Did you see her face? I've never seen her get so…disappointed." Setzer mumbled, stepping back from the door and looking to the treasure hunter. "Come on, I want to keep an eye on her."

Locke nodded and followed the gambler out the door, gently patting his leg in an attempt to get Interceptor to follow him out of the house. The canine huffed softly and followed, his head hanging as he wandered down the hill after the two men. The door to the meeting hall stood open as they approached, the sounds of people talking and laughing emanating from within. Marian poked her head out of the door as they approached, her cheeks red from the chill of the morning as she smiled at them.

"Have you seen Amaria?" The scarred woman asked. "I sent her out to get eggs not too long ago, but she hasn't come back."

"Give her time, Marian." Setzer entered with a smirk. "Amaria and chickens don't get along well."

"Oh, all right. Come on in, Terra's already cooking. Edgar brought sausage and bacon." Marian replied excitement in her tone.

Setzer chuckled and glanced back at Locke before following Marian into the warmth of the meeting hall. Locke shrugged up his shoulders and followed as well, welcoming the roar of the fire in the hearth. The hall was filled with noise as he entered. The children ran about, setting the table or just sitting around with the Returners, talking and playing little games. Edgar, having spotted Locke first, raised a hand in greeting, a bright smile on his still sleepy face.

Locke forced his way through the crowd, muttering greetings as he passed on his way to Edgar. The king had already taken a seat at the large table when Locke finally made it to Edgar's side. The blonde offered him a sleepy smile as the treasure hunter collapsed into a chair next to him, bone tired from the trip to the river.

"Morning." Edgar said softly, gently raised a hand to rub at his left eye. "What got you up so early?"

"It stopped raining. So we went fishing." Locke mumbled, staring at a plate of fresh bread that was set in the middle of the table. "We needed the meat."

"Should have got me up, I'd have gone." The king mumbled back.

For lack of anything to say, Locke merely shrugged, uncertain if he and the king were on good terms again. He hoped so, fighting with Edgar was much more taxing than fighting with Celes. At least fights with Celes were predictable and easy to diffuse. He'd been able to take her aside last night and talk her out of her anger. The Returners hadn't been kidding when they said she was as mad at him as the Goddess was at the Grave Devil. It had taken a lot of coaxing, but after about an hour of apologizing, she'd forgiven him. At least she was a reasonable woman, and it wasn't like she'd sat there and pouted the entire time Locke was trying to explain the matter. Goddess be praised for women who were understanding.

"Amaria! Finally." Marian gasped from her place beside the hearth. "What kept you?"

"The gate latch stuck." The little girl murmured as she came into the building, her cheeks red from the cold.

"Again?" Her mother questioned, a smile on her lips. "Well, we'll fix it."

"Oh, I was supposed to do that…" Locke mumbled, dropping his gaze to the table as a blush colored his cheeks.

"Well, it can't be that hard of a fix." Edgar said amiably, clapping Locke on the shoulder. "You can fix it after breakfast. And tell you what, I'll help."

Locke gazed at the king, taken aback by the sudden light in Edgar's eyes.

" Yeah, sure…But, we need to bring in the laundry first." Locke said, his eyes wide. "It won't be dry by the time it starts raining again."

"No worries. Sabin and Gau already volunteered for that." Edgar smirked, reaching up to brush a stray strand of gold from his eyes. "Terra asked for help right when she came in. That leaves us for the gate."

"All right everyone, the tea's ready." Valda called over the loudness of the hall, her eyes bright. There was a slight scuffle as the woman fought her way through the knot of children to set two pots of steaming tea onto the table. Locke filled his mug quickly, sipping at it gratefully as it warmed his bones.

"Tea all ready?" Celes asked brightly as she came in through the door, a bucket of unstrained milk in her hands. Despite what Locke had been told about her mood, she seemed bright and happy enough. "Goddess, how long was I gone?"

"Long enough." Terra teased, leaving the hearth behind her and moving to take the bucket from the tall blonde. "Let me have that. I'll strain it. Why don't you take a seat? Amaria came back with nine eggs. Nine! And with what Edgar brought for us, I swear we'll all get fat."

"Fat and happy, I hope. Are you sure you don't need help?" Celes asked, frowning faintly when Terra shook her head to the negative. The blonde conceded the half esper the victory however and left the emerald haired woman behind as she faced the table, looking for a place to sit. She found Locke easily, her eyes seeming to sparkle as the faintest of smiles curled her full lips.

The treasure hunter blinked in confusion as she came around the edge of the table, the candle light catching in her still bath-damp hair and sparkling. Edgar straightened in his chair as the thin beauty came to stand beside him.

"Morning boys," She said, her voice like fine silk. "You're looking bright."

"As bright as we can be." Locke mumbled, his face coloring as she looked to him.

"I wish you had told me you were going fishing. I'd have gone with you, Locke." She said, looking to him, her eyes warm despite what he'd been told.

"Oh, I…hmm..Yeah, tomorrow maybe." Locke mumbled, stammering over his words as she pulled out the chair next to him and took a seat.

"Hopefully the rain will let up by then." Celes replied with a sigh. She propped her elbows up on the table and gazed solemnly towards the door, her eyes darkening. "Terra said the storm would pass maybe the day after tomorrow, but I hope it's sooner."

"I'll trust to Terra's thoughts when it comes to the weather." Edgar said, a faint smirk curling up the corner of his lips.

"Yes well, you'd be the smart one." Celes teased, wrinkling her nose at the king. "You'd think I'd have learned by now. But, no…"

"Easy love, you've just got a hopeful personality." Locke said softly, turning a smile to the elegant blonde. He reached up and took her hand, pressing his lips to the back of her fingers. "Someone has to."

"You tease." The blonde mumbled, a bright smile on her lips. She leaned over and gently bumped her shoulder into Locke's, drawing a chuckle from the treasure hunter. "Oh, did either of you ask Terra when she wants to meet today?"

"After breakfast I would think, once the chores are done." Edgar entered, gently rubbing at his chin.

"It'll start raining by then though." Celes commented, dropping her gaze to the table. "Do you think she'll want to do it up in her house?"

"Most likely." Locke said, rubbing at her fingers with a thumb. "Once we get the hearth going, it'll be warm enough. Oh, look. Breakfast is ready."

"Thank the heavens." Edgar said, pushing himself up from his chair. "Valda made some of those sausages we brought. I can't wait."

With that they rose from their seats and proceeded to line up for their breakfast, plates in hand. There was truly a feast by Mobliz standards served for breakfast that morning. Edgar had brought with him things that were by all rights, cheap, but considered delicacies by the poverty stricken village. He had brought fine Figaro sausages as well as salted pork and mammoth meat out of Narshe. He'd also brought with him fine Jidoor wheat loaves and several rounds of highland cheeses from South Figaro and its outlying territories.

Breakfast passed in a cluster of smiling faces and raucous laughter. Locke found himself surprisingly warm and full by the time an hour had passed, leaving him comfortable as he reclined back in his little wooden chair. Celes sat beside him, sipping elegantly at her cup of tea while the other's finished their plates. Once she finished, she rose from her seat and gathered up their cups and plates, casting a faint smile in his direction as she slipped past him and went to the hearth to set their dishes aside for cleaning. From there, Locke watched as she joined Terra at the washbasin, quietly taking up the drying of dishes with a smile.

From there the gathered villagers proceeded outside to take care of the days chores with a greater speed then usual. Thunder rattled through the clouds freely, warning of a second storm front coming in behind the first. The sky had darkened considerably more so an hour after the meal, the sight giving the villagers the urge to pick up the pace of their work even more. But, as the long list of chores neared its end, a cloud of tension gathered over the Returners, leaving their faces dark. It had been decided during the meal that once the day's work was finished they would retreat into Terra's little home for the meeting that had brought them here in the first place.

Locke gazed somberly up at the little cottage on the hill as he walked by, laden with buckets of water to fill the great cauldron in Katrin's kitchen. Normally, the house would be a welcome sight, with its open door and warmly lit windows, but a sense of dread had begun to fill him once the meeting had been announced. He could diffuse a fight with Celes easily, but there was no way to prevent the argument he knew was waiting for them in Terra's house. Like it or not, this wasn't going to be pretty.

Once he had poured the water into the cauldron, Locke stacked the buckets on Katrin's porch and took another glance back up towards Terra's cottage, spying the woman herself outside, reaching up to pull down the clothesline. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, the treasure hunter started up the hill, figuring that heading up there now was better than being dragged up by Celes later.

"Promises promises , everyday and everywhere."

Locke stopped mid step, caught off guard by the even paced chanting. He looked about, surprised to hear those familiar words at all in this tiny village.

"Broken and unbroken, with and without care."

It only took him a moment to locate the chanters, sitting peacefully on the bench on Valda's front porch. Two of the younger girls, Mercy and Amaltheya faced each other on the wooden bench, legs folded off to the side as they beat their hands together in time with their chant.

"I don't care for promises, 'cause people don't keep."

They continued even as he stood staring, his mouth open shock. Was this where he knew those words from; a child's hand game? The very notion seemed ludicrous, but it made sense that Terra would know them if the children repeated them for a game. Now that he thought about it, he could remember the girls in his hometown repeating the same words when he was little.

"Promises, promises. Enough to make me WEEP!"

The girls cried the last words and broke into a fit of giggles, rocking back and forth on the bench as they clapped their hands.

"Mr. Locke?" One of the girls, Mercy, asked turning her lush blue gaze to him. "Do you want to play?"

"Huh? Oh, n-no." Locke replied, gently waving to her. "But, where did you learn that?"

"Mama taught us." Amaltheya explained, brushing her rich black curls away from her dark face. "We could teach you."

"Maybe later. Thank you, though."

The girls nodded in tandem before turning back to each other and resuming their game, this time choosing a different chant. Stuffing his hands into his pockets once again, Locke turned and started up the hill once more, surprised to find that Terra had vanished, though the line remained attached to its pole. A moment later, Terra came out of the house, a broom in hand as she went back to the line, raising the broom up to knock the line loose. Chuckling, Locke pulled his hands from his pockets and waved, calling out to her. She paused in her attempt to knock the line loose and looked over her shoulder at him, lips parted in surprise.

"Here, let me." He said, coming to stand beside her. The half esper nodded faintly and stepped aside, watching as he reached up to tug the thick clothesline down, neatly coiling it together.

"Thank you." Terra murmured, raising a hand to rub at her forehead. "Usually Jacoby gets it down, but he's showing Einon how to take care of the animals when they're in the barn."

"How did the barn hold up in the storm last night?"

"Good apparently." Terra replied, a smile brightening her gaunt face. "He said that he couldn't find any evidence of leaking, so I'm calling it good on the roof."

"I'm glad." Locke replied with a chuckle. "Because I don't think I could get back up there."

Terra chuckled, the sound warm in the chill breeze. He eyes sparkled softly in the dim light as she looked to him, an infectious smile curling her thin lips

"I'm not sure anyone could at this point." She said. "Even Shadow's still tired. Normally he would have left this morning, rain or no rain."

"It could also be the meeting." Locke said, tucking the clothesline under his arm and stuffing his hands into his pockets. Terra frowned, the light fading from her eyes as she looked up to him. She nodded silently and extended her hand for the clothesline, which Locke relinquished to her, watching as she tucked it away beneath the heavy worktable.

"I wish we didn't have to do this." The half esper murmured, gently raising a hand to brush a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"Tell me about it." Locke replied, rubbing at the back of his head as Terra straightened. "But, what else can we do? Do you want them to stop or not?"

"Well, yes. Of course I want them to stop with this nonsense." Terra scoffed, fisting her hands in her long red skirt. "But, I just wish that it didn't have to come down to an argument."

"It was always going to end up being an argument, doll face." Locke sighed, raising a hand to sweep the bandanna from his head and run his fingers through his hair. "Look at who our friends are. They all run countries or claim some kind of fame. These people would never give up without a fight."

"I know." Terra mumbled, running her fingers through her long unbound tresses. "Doesn't mean that I have to like it."

Locke laughed.

"No, no it doesn't." He chuckled, gently tying his bandanna about his head once more. "In fact, I hate the idea myself. But, that doesn't mean we won't get through it."

"True. Come on." Terra said, looking to him, a faint smile curling her thin lips. "It's going to start raining soon and I need to warm up the house."

Locke nodded and motioned for the half esper to lead the way. She offered him another tiny smile and swept past him, her long skirt gathered up in her hands as she steeped carefully across the muddy soil. The house was chill but blessedly free of the biting wind, but that was enough for Locke's tired bones. Sure, he'd spent the night nestled up behind Celes in the warmth of the meeting hall, but sleep had for the most part eluded him. He'd laid awake beside his comfortably sleeping love, his mind a whirl of the past few days.

Terra looked to him with a smile as he sank onto the sofa, weariness flooding his bones. He leaned back into the cushions as she bustled about, humming faintly. Her soft voice lulled him to rest as the house gradually warmed from the fire in the hearth, the sweet smell of orchard woods permeating the air like a perfume. Terra continued to hum as Locke allowed his eyes to close, the smell of boiling tea joining the smell of the wood.

"If you fall asleep, I'm leaving you there." She teased, though her voice sounded far away to his tired mind. He found himself too relaxed to reply, so he merely shrugged, drawing a delicate chuckle from the half esper. "All right then."

Locke mustered a faint smirk and reached for the blanket that Shadow had left folded on the far edge of the sofa. He drew the heavy woolen blanket over him, reveling in its warm weight. Beside the hearth, Terra chuckled once more, her soft voice followed shortly by the clatter of plates as she brought them down from the cupboard. He listened as she proceeded to cut up vegetables for the meeting, and set the plates out on the small dinner table.

The front door creaked open beside the sofa, the sound of a heavy pair of boots dropping to the floor as the door shut once more.

"Mother?" Jacoby inquired from his place in the doorway. "I have the bread."

"Oh good, can you put it on the hearth, I'm calling everyone in soon." Terra responded, pulling down another plate from the high cupboard.

"Is there anything I can help with?"

"Yes, can you go through and make sure the windows are shut up? Wait, where's Einon?"

"We finished and he went off with Nestor and Canaan." Jacoby explained, as he went across the room, rattling the windows to ensure they were shut up tightly. "I think they went to check the mill."

"Good. They'd better get back soon though." Terra said softly.

"Do you need me to go and get them?"

"No, they'll be all right…ugh.."

"Mother? Mother, what's wrong?"

Locke sat bolt upright as Terra groaned again and leaned against the counter. Jacoby stood beside her, one hand on her back as she bent and pressed a hand against her belly, her thin face contorted with pain. Throwing the blanket off, Locke got to his feet and all but ran across the kitchen. Jacoby looked to him, his eyes wide as his mother gripped at his shirt.

"Terra. Terra, what's wrong?" Locke inquired, his heart pounding in his chest as he gripped at the half esper's shoulder.

"I…I'm fine." The emerald haired woman choked out, her voice strained.

"No you're not." Locke growled, brushing Jacoby's hand from her back and gently forcing her to the floor where she pressed her forehead to her knees, curling into a ball. "Are you still bleeding?"

"Locke, you shouldn't ask that." Jacoby scoffed, crossing his hands over his chest.

"Don't care." Locke grumbled, keeping his eyes on the still panting Terra. "Terra, are you?"

"Locke…"Terra moaned, looking up at him with pained and pleading eyes. She didn't want to answer the question, but Locke remained firm. "Katrin said I should stop by tomorrow."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's personal."

"It's your health, Terra." Locke growled. "This isn't natural."

"And why not?" Terra demanded, her eyes hardening despite the cloud of pain. "I'm female aren't I?"

"Yes, but there's no reason you should develop courses this late." The treasure hunter rumbled, gently easing her back to lean against the stones of the hearth. He set a hand on her knee and tried to uncurl her. She began to relax as her legs stretched out, the pain leaving her eyes.

"Mother, none of the others have pains like this." Jacoby said, kneeling down beside Locke and setting his hand on his mother's knee. "I agree with Locke."

"And what do you expect me to do?" Terra inquired, her voice and her eyes hard as she rested her head against the cupboards and hearthstones.

"See another physician." Jacoby pleaded with her.

"Don't be silly, Jacoby." Terra frowned, scolded him. "I don't need to see a physician because of course pains. Besides, it's too expensive. These will stop by tomorrow."

"And if they don't?" Locke inquired, drawing her hard, disapproving gaze. "What then?"

"Then I'll wait them out." She replied firmly, her hands fisting in her skirt. "Just like every other woman in the world."

"Damn it Terra." Locke growled, anger flaring in his chest. "Will you stop being so stubborn? This isn't right and you know it"

"No, what isn't right is you people trying to force me out of my house."

"Enough." Jacoby said suddenly, getting to his feet. He frowned down at them as they looked to him, his bottle green eyes hard. "Listen to yourselves, bickering like idiots. Mother, you're breaking your own rules acting like this. What's gotten into you? One minute you're normal, the next you're biting our heads off."

Terra remained silent, frowning as she lowered her gaze. Locke blinked at her as she swallowed hard and closed her eyes taking a breath. Sighing, Locke gently lowered himself to the floorboards beside her, stretching his legs out so he could get an arm around her shoulders and pull her close. She sighed and eased into him, resting her head against his chest, eyes closed.

"I'm sorry." She said after a moment, her eyes closed. "I think I'm just stressed over this whole thing."

"We all are." Locke said softly, gently rubbing at her shoulder. "But this is going to far Terra. I'm not ready to believe that this is natural just yet. Will you at least give seeing another physician some thought?"

"Hey, guys? Whoa…what happened?"

Locke looked up to find Einon standing in the doorway, one hand holding the door open while the other clasped a pail of water to his chest. He gazed at them, his rust colored eyes nervous as he chewed his lip. Behind him, lightning flashed in the sky as a light drizzle blurred the edges of the buildings. Thunder boomed in the far distance and Einon came inside, kicking off his boots and closing the door.

"Ma, did you fall?" He asked, putting the pail down on the coffee table as he came into the tiny kitchen.

"Yes, But, I'm all right." Terra said, looking up at her son with soft eyes as she gently rose from her place on the floor.

"Terra, I don't think you should be getting up." Locke said, getting to his feet as Terra made to take a step towards her youngest son but stopped to lean against the counter.

"Oh Locke, it's fine." Terra said, pressing a hand into her belly and glancing at him over her shoulder.

"You don't look fine." Einon said, raising an eyebrow at them. "How did you fall?"

"I just slipped, that's all. Don't worry." Terra lied, offering the boy a small smile, much to Locke's chagrin.

"Yeah, right. So, when are you going to tell me the truth?" Einon demanded, crossing his arms over his chest, perfectly mimicking his brother's stance. "Something in here smells a lot like bullshit."

"Watch your mouth, young man." Terra groaned, raising a hand to rub at her temples. "You know those words aren't welcome in this house."

"Yeah well, I have a feeling this meeting of yours is going to have a lot of them." The kid stated frankly. "Well, whatever. Look, while we were up at the mill, Canaan said he saw a chocobo rider watching us from the hills."

"Are you sure he was watching us?" Jacoby inquired, taking the pail from the table and setting it on the kitchen counter beside a stack of earthenware cups.

"Yeah, he had no tent, nothing. Just sat there watching us." Einon explain, slumping down onto the sofa and patting the water droplets from his bright hair. "You don't think it's Holmes, do you?"

"It sounds too odd for it to be anyone else. It was probably just a scout though." Locke explained, leaning against the hearth as he looked to the kid. "I don't think Holmes is dumb enough to come out here in the rain."

"You don't know that." Einon said, looking up at Locke with nervous eyes. "Please don't make me go back out there."

"You don't have to go back out there, Einon." Terra said softly, pushing herself away from the counter and going to her son. She put her hands on his shoulders and drew him close, allowing him to wrap him arms around her middle and rest his head against her chest. "But you have to stay in either my room or Jacoby's room during the meeting all right? You too Jacoby."

"That's not fair." Jacoby grumbled. "Why do we have to be separate? We're as much a part of this as anyone. We're your children."

"Yeah, what's so secret that we can't be there?" Einon inquired, releasing his mother and looking up at her.

"There isn't a secret Einon." Terra sighed, resting her hands on his shoulders. "It's just not going to be something I want you around for."

"It's going to be an argument." Locke said, stepping away from the hearth. Terra looked to him, her eyes hardening as he came for them, disapproving of his interference. He didn't care. "It's not something you'll want to see kid."

"There are things we want to see and then there are the things we need to see." Einon frowned, setting his jaw. "Who are these people, why do they look like they come from all over? And how do you know that Setzer guy? And why the peacock and the artist? These aren't everyday people."

"Peacock?" Terra questioned, confused at her son's statement. "You'll explain that to me later. Einon, there really isn't time to explain all of that right now. We have to start the meeting."

"I'll tell him." Jacoby said, stepping forward.

"Jacoby…"Terra trailed, casting her amethyst gaze to the young man.

"But, only the most important part." Jacoby continued, his bottle green eyes catching and holding his mother's gaze. "I'll let you tell him the rest."

"I…Locke?" Terra murmured, looking to the treasure hunter.

Locke blinked at her, his heart hammering at the helplessness in the half-esper's eyes. Confusion hammered away in his skull as he gazed at her. One moment ago she was upset with him for interfering and now she was pleading for his help. He didn't know what to do.

"I'd say let him. And then you and I can explain the rest later." He replied with a shrug, hoping to be of help.

"Well, all right." Terra said at last, her voice soft and tired as she returned her gaze to her son. "You do need to know after all. Jacoby, I'm leaving it to you."

"Okay, Mother." Jacoby replied with a shrug. "Is there anything you want me to leave out?"

"No…"Terra said softly after a breath. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Einon's forehead. "Tell him everything. It'll be easier to accept if it comes from you."

"Accept what?" Einon asked as frown on his lips. "What are you talking about?"

"You'll know soon enough." Terra replied as a knock sounded at the front door. "Come in!"

The door blew open with a bang, a windblown and shaken Relm tumbling in after it, dragging her poor grandfather in after her. The artist swept a hand over her face, trying to right her beret over her now battered curls as she gently led Strago to the sofa where he sank into the cushion with a tired sigh.

"Goddess' name!" Relm gasped, tossing her hat to the table and ruffling her hair with her hands. As the artist stepped back, Terra surged past her to help Strago out of his cape, producing a handkerchief to dry his face. "Sorry Terra, the wind came up the hill in a gust and just about threw us over."

"It's all right. Are you hurt?" The half esper asked more of Strago than of Relm.

"Yes, we're fine." Strago answered gruffly, taking the kerchief from her and rubbing his face down. "We need to set down a path for you, Terra. That mud may as well be murder."

"Yes, I've been thinking of doing that." Terra said softly as she knelt before the old lore master and untied his boots, gently pulling them from his feet and setting them aside.

"Einon, can you pour some tea? Jacoby, I need the heavy blanket out of the closet."

The young men gazed at their mother in surprise for a moment before nodding and going about their tasks. Jacoby vanished into the broom closet, returning with the thickest blanket he could find while Einon pushed his way past Locke and into the kitchen. Locke turned as Einon began opening cupboards, looking for teacups. Reaching over the kid's head, Locke pulled the set of Terra's best cups down from the shelves, eyeing the chipped and cracked porcelain. Einon nodded his thanks and quickly filled one of the cups with the fragrant jasmine tea, carefully balancing it on its saucer as he turned back to his mother. Locke leaned back against the counter and watched as the kid handed the cup to a grateful Strago and took a step back to allow Relm to sit beside her now thoroughly bundled up grandfather.

"Dry your hair, Relmalie…"Strago said softly, looking to his granddaughter. "You'll catch cold."

"Don't worry about me, Grandpa." The artist replied, wincing at his use of her full name. She reached over and patted the old man's arm, drawing a smile from him. "You just get warm."

"Here," Jacoby mumbled, holding a small towel out to the artist as he came across the floor. "It's been by the hearth."

Relm thanked the young man and took the towel, gently patting her golden curls dry. She smiled sweetly and dried her hands on the towel as she looked down to Terra, who still knelt at Strago's feet. The half esper smiled back before rising, satisfied that Strago wasn't going to catch a chill. Thunder boomed overhead as it began to rain in earnest, the plink of water against the roof reminding Locke that Terra's house needed more work. He winced as a gust of wind rattled Terra's tiny kitchen window in its frame, jiggling it about dangerously. Moving across the wood floor, he went to the little window and drew the tiny faded curtains over it as lightning flashed again.

"Were the others coming after you?" Terra inquired of Strago, drawing Locke's gaze.

"Oh, yes. In a moment." The old man replied, taking another sip of his tea. "They were all finishing up when we headed up here."

A knock sounded at the front door just as he finished speaking. Terra looked over her shoulder at her two sons, telling them to bring more blankets and towels as she went to the closed door, gently tugging it open. Wind gusted on the other side of the door as Celes pushed her way in followed by Edgar, Sabin and Gau. Celes was laughing despite her hair being almost soaked and her clothing clinging to her thin form in what had to be an uncomfortable manner.

"My goddess," She laughed. "Terra, this place is bound to be underwater by morning!"

"I thought it was supposed to build up to a downpour, not be one from the start." Sabin said, brushing water droplets from his hair as he too laughed.

"Oh, it's always like this here." Terra chuckled, stepping aside as Jacoby came forward with towels for the Returners. "You get used to it after a while."

"I couldn't." Edgar chuckled, shaking his head as he accepted a towel. "That's why I live in a desert."

"I like rain." Gau said softly, rubbing his towel over his head to dry his olive green hair.

"So do I." Terra replied with a smile. "Come in everyone, get warm. There's tea and bread if you're hungry. Feel free to sit on Einon's bed. Boys, if you could go into my room please and shut the door."

Jacoby and Einon offered her twin frowns but nodded quietly. Jacoby set the rest of his pile of towels down on the coffee table before placing a hand on his new brother's shoulder and steering him towards their mother's bedroom. Terra watched them go, her lips set into a thin line as the door clicked shut behind them.

"I hope it'll be warm enough in their for them." She mumbled to no one in particular.

"They should be." Locke replied, coming to stand beside her. He bent and hefted some of the towels from the table, casting a glance towards the window beside the door. A line of people jogged up the hill through the downpour, hands up to shield their eyes from the rain. "Heads up, we've got more."

"Battle stations!" Celes chimed with a laugh, brushing a damp strand of gold behind one ear as she reached for the door latch and drew it open. "Incoming!"

There was a clatter on the other side of the door as the last of the Returners piled in, sopping wet and faces red. Setzer and Cyan boomed with laughter as the pilot forced the door shut against the wind. Cyan tossed his sopping ponytail back over his shoulder as Setzer ducked his head to sweep his hair away from his eyes as Shadow slipped past them and into the house.

"That child has lungs that could kill." Cyan said with a chuckle, offering Locke a smile as he accepted a towel.

"I thought he'd never stop." Setzer agreed, kicking his boots off and peeling his wet jacket from his tall frame. " You should start a baby sitting service, Cyan."

"You are not as funny as you think yourself to be." Cyan replied, crossing his arms over his chest as he raised an eyebrow in mock disapproval at the pilot. "I'm much to old to be caring for babies."

"Oh but you're so good at it. And you're no older than I am." The pilot retorted with a smug smirk. "Besides, you have Amaria and Nestor wrapped around your finger like twine."

"I merely enjoy their company. They are well raised children."

"And they love you like an uncle." Terra interrupted, drawing the knight's gaze and bringing a faint smile to his lips. "You're very good to them."

"I…well…"

"Give it up, Cyan." Celes chuckled, moving across the floor to take a seat on the edge of Einon's bed. "You're good with kids. It's a skill many people would die for."

Cyan smiled but didn't reply. Instead, he wiped his face clean on the towel and slung it over his shoulder, making for the coffee table. Bending, he poured himself a cup of the fragrant tea, warming his hands on the fired clay as he took a seat at Terra's little kitchen table. Chuckling, Setzer followed suit, slinging his towel beneath his long drape of silver hair.

"Well, that's everyone." Terra sighed, wiping her damp hands on the last towel. "Come on everyone, you know the drill. The wet stuff comes off."

A great groan went through the gathered Returners as they took to stripping the wet outer layers from their bodies. Satisfied, Terra took up a much smaller clothesline from the broom closet and stretched it out before the hearth, hanging the wettest of clothes before the roaring fire. Turning back to her now blanket and towel wrapped friends, she set about pouring cups of tea for those without, gently brushing off their desire to help.

"Is anyone hungry? We still have some of that cheese, and bread as always." She inquired, taking an apron down from its hanger in the broom closet and slinging it about her waist. As a murmur of assent went through her suddenly packed living room. Smiling faintly, she dug another plate out of the cabinet, the leftover chunk of cheese from yesterday still resting on it. Placing a knife on the plate beside the block, she turned back to the group, only to have Gau take the plate from her and make for the table, setting it carefully on the scuffed surface. He returned a moment later to retrieve a cheese knife from a battered drawer, glancing at the curtains as lightning illuminated them.

"That sounds wonderful." Edgar said, taking a seat on the sofa beside Relm and reaching for a slice of bread.

"Didn't get enough at breakfast, brother?" Sabin teased, his voice booming in the quickly warming air.

"Hush you." Edgar replied gruffly, turning a smirk to his brother. "All you did was bring in laundry."

"Now now boys, don't argue." Celes teased, reaching for a bit of bread herself. She nibbled at the crust as she sat back on Einon's bed, motioning for Locke to join her. A faint smile tugged at Locke's lips as he maneuvered over to her, pouring himself a cup of tea before he sat down. The blonde offered him a dazzling smile as he crossed his legs and leaned back against he wall. Through the wall, he could hear Jacoby and Einon laughing about something, followed by the younger man asking the older countless questions.

"But it's all we're really good for." Sabin joked, reaching over to lightly punch his brother in the knee.

"We noticed." Relm giggled, groaning when Edgar raised a hand to ruffle her curls. "Oh, not the hair! It takes forever to get it just right!"

"Ringlets don't work very well out here in the boonies, darlin'." Locke teased, unable to resist. The artist frowned and stuck her tongue out at him, drawing a round of laughter from the troupe.

"Style works everywhere, Locke." Relm fired back, gently patting at her now battered hair. "Especially now that I'm designing too."

"Be careful, Relm." Terra warned, taking a seat at the dining table. "All these projects of yours will leave you stretched to thin. How will you keep up?"

"I want to move to Jidoor and open a studio there." The artist explained excitedly, gripping her grandfather's hand as he turned a proud eye to her. "Owser wants another painting, but he doesn't know of what yet. And I know I'd much rather be closer to the auction house. I can sell more that way."

"Yes, please, clean out my house! I can barely walk around in my own living room for all the canvas." Strago grumbled good naturedly.

"Oh come now, Strago." Setzer said with a smirk. "You have the largest collection of Relm Arrowny paintings in the world. Not to mention they're all originals!"

"They won't be worth very much if I keep tripping over them."

"Oh you hush." Relm snapped at her grandfather, crossing her arms over her chest. "You like them and you know it."

"Come now, enough." Terra soothed rubbing her hands against her apron before pouring herself a cup of tea. "Let's get started."

"Yes, let's." Setzer agreed, setting his teacup back into its saucer and setting it aside. "The sooner we begin, the sooner it's done with."

A murmur of agreement went through the gathered Returners as they shifted uncomfortably in their seats, save for Shadow who leaned against the wall beside Terra, seemingly content. Locke stared down into his teacup as a cloud of nervous tension began to gather in the air, making him quite uncomfortable. He took a gulp from his cup, frowning down into the liquid as the quiet lengthened. Beside him, Celes shifted nervously, pressing her leg against his and turning a somber blue eye to him.

"Now…I…don't rightly know how to begin." Terra began softly, drawing Locke's gaze even as she stared down into her teacup. "I know there's been a lot of worry and confusion about me lately and…I…well…I don't understand why."

"Terra…how can you not?" Cyan inquired gently, setting his cup down on the table before him.

"I don't understand it because I don't see anything wrong." The half esper replied, taking a sip from her chipped cup.

"Terra, all you have to do is look in the mirror." Sabin said, leaning forward and bracing his elbows on his knees.

"So I've lost weight, it happens. Especially with what I do for a living. It's no reason for any of you to go sneaking around behind my back." Terra stated matter of factly, fixing the martial artist with a glance that would have melted lead. "I've been told of this meeting that you all had in Figaro after I had left; and to be honest…I'm ashamed of all of you. How could you do this?"

"Terra, we're just worried about you." Edgar entered nervously, absently tugging on a lock of his golden hair as he leaned forward on the sofa. "With how much weight you've lost and how little you eat, every time we visit, it's like you've withered away a little more."

"I'm not withering away, Edgar." Terra scoffed, setting her cup aside and crossing her arms over her chest. "Don't be ridiculous."

"We're not, Terra." Celes stated, turning her gaze to the woman across the room. The look of calmness in Celes' eyes took Locke by surprise. How could she be so even and relaxed with such a heavy handed subject? "We're being quite serious. You are withering away, much faster than any of us are comfortable with."

"I'm not a flower, Celes." Terra mumbled, dropping her hands to her small lap. "I'm not going to wilt just because of a little weight loss. I can handle it."

"No one is saying you can't." Relm said softly, gently laying a hand on Edgar's arm to prevent him from speaking. "Terra, we just want you to be healthy."

"Healthy? I'm as healthy as a person can be living the way we do." Terra retorted with a deep frown.

"No, you're not." Sabin said gruffly, rubbing at his chin as he fixed the half esper with a stern gaze. "You forget that I've spent a good portion of my life working the fields. That kind of work leaves people hearty and strong. Not thin and gray like it's apparently left you."

"Sabin, don't make it worse." Celes snapped at the martial artist while holding out a hand to placate a now offended Terra. The blonde turned away from Sabin to address the half esper, her sapphire eyes dark. "Terra, as crude as that was, he's right. I…we have had enough of your stubbornness. You need to at least see a doctor."

"And with what money?" Terra demanded, her amethyst eyes flashing as she turned a glare to the blonde. "There's no way I can afford that, and why should I need a doctor for an allergy anyway?"

"It's not an allergy, Terra!" Edgar said sharply, hitting his knee with a fist. "Allergies don't keep you from eating."

"You try coughing up anything you ate the way I do and then tell me that an allergy can't keep you from eating." Terra sniffed derisively.

"That's why you need a doctor, Terra." Edgar said, his eyes pleading as he leaned forward. "Terra, please. I can pay for the doctor. A good one, just come back to Figaro with us."

"I can't." Terra replied, setting her jaw. "It's almost time for the harvest. I have to be here. With the baby here, some of us are going to have to work double time to get everything done before the frost."

"Terra, I can provide you with extra farmhands." The king replied, holding his hands out to her, palm up.

"And how am I supposed to pay them?" Terra snapped sharply, her eyes fierce. "The answer is no, Edgar. I have to be here."

"You have to get better before you can do anything in the fields, Terra." Cyan interrupted before Edgar could reply. "And you're not going to get any better without talking to someone who might be able to help you."

"No, Cyan." Terra said firmly, shaking her head. "Enough of this, I'm not going."

"Damn it, Terra!" Strago suddenly barked, startling the gathered listeners. The old man sat up on the sofa, brushing off his surprised granddaughter as she reached for him. "Stop being so stubborn, woman. What is so awful about seeing a physician? Do you not understand that if you go, it's paid for?"

"Strago…settle." Setzer said, his expression calm as he drew the old man's gaze. The gambler brushed his hair back over his shoulder. "Let's all take a step back. There's no need to turn this into a fight."

"Yeah…yeah.." Gau piped up from his place on the floor at Relm's feet. "Please don't fight…Terra…why not go the doctor? We're afraid…for you."

"Gau, you don't need to be." Terra replied, her shoulders slumping as she turned a soft eye to the young man on the floor. "I'll be all right."

"The thing is, Terra, we don't know that." Edgar stated, drawing her eyes away from the once wild young man. "And, we just want to be sure."

"Sure of what? It's a waste of money, Edgar!" Terra scoffed, biting her lower lip in frustration.

"Sure that you don't have the sickness!" Edgar stated sharply, slamming his fist down on the armrest of the sofa.

An icy silence spread through the tiny room, chilling the listeners to the bone. Locke sat bolt upright on the bed as Celes froze beside him, their eyes fling to the half esper even as Edgar's mouth fell open in shock of his own words. Terra sat stiffly, her lips set into a thin line as any color left in her face drained away, leaving her as pale as a china doll. The half esper, dropped her gaze, her eyes searching the ground as Edgar struggled to say something, pulling nervously on the collar of his shirt.

"Terra?" Locke questioned, extending a nervous hand toward her. The emerald haired woman kept her gaze down, her slim body as stiff as a board. "Doll face…he…he didn't mean that."

"Yes he did." Terra replied stiffly gently worrying at her lower lip with her teeth. When she looked up, her eyes shone with unshed tears. She took a delicate shaking breath, her hands turning nervously over in her lap. "And…he's right."

"Terra…no…I'm not…" Edgar pleaded, pushing himself up from his place on the sofa. Relm reached out and took hold of the edge of his tunic, keeping him from going towards the still stone stiff woman. "Relm…let go. Terra, you're too young to have anything resembling the sickness."

"And who is to say such a thing, hm?" Terra asked, her voice suddenly very clipped as she fixed the king with an icy glare. "I didn't realize things like the sickness depended upon age. And if I look that awful, then it's not an impossibility is it?"

"Terra…" Edgar sighed, gripping at the hem of his shirt with a slightly shaking hand. "You don't look that bad."

"Well, I must for you all to come out here." Terra sniffed derisively. "And for all of you to go around behind my back."

"Terra, we just want to help you." Sabin said, holding up a placating hand, his eyes pleading.

"Help me with what? You're the ones that are trying to take me away from my home, and from my children."

"Only to get you to a doctor." Edgar replied, his green eyes shining. "Yes Terra, I'll admit it, I'm afraid that you have the sickness. The only way to find out is to get you to a physician. Even if you do, and they can't help you, I'd rather know what was killing you. Wouldn't you?"

"No, quite frankly, I don't." The half esper retorted, her eyes fierce as a small gasp escaped Relm. "Edgar, if I'm going to die, than I'd rather do it happily. Even if I had the sickness, there would be nothing anyone could do to help me."

"How can you not want to know?" Relm peeped, staring wide eyes at the half esper across the room. "How can you let this hang on you?"

"It's not hanging on me, Relm. I don't worry about it because I know I don't have the sickness." Terra replied flatly, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "Going to a physician now would make my family worry about me. I won't allow that."

"They already are worried about you, Terra." Celes said softly, drawing the other woman's gaze. Terra's frown softened as her amethyst eyes met Celes' sapphire ones. "You've seen the way Katrin looks at you, and how Marian hovers. For heaven's sake, Valda practically shoves food down your throat these days. They think that you're sick too. We want you to see a physician to put all of us at ease. Terra, like it or not, we're afraid for your life."

"A doctor couldn't help me anyway." Terra scoffed after a moment. "You know there's no cure for any kind of the sickness. Once you have it, you're done."

"That's not true." Cyan argued, sitting up in his seat. "Some doctors have gone in and removed the growths. They've saved their patients."

"Yes, after exploratory surgery. I'm not doing that." Terra grumbled, gently brushing a stray lock of emerald away from her pale face. "I don't have the time or the desire."

"Terra, will you please stop ignoring the possibility?" Strago asked, his voice a low growl.

"Will the lot of you accept that she might not be sick at all?" Setzer spoke up, reclining easily in his wooden chair. "You're forgetting that she's not entirely human. Just because the driving force behind the espers is gone, does not make her fully human. For all we know, this could be normal."

"I doubt that very much, Setzer." Celes reply with a derisive chuckle. Planting one hand on her hip, she motioned at the half esper. "I refuse to believe that dramatic weight loss, struggling to breathe or losing all color in her skin to be normal for anything, human or otherwise."

"Just because you don't believe it doesn't make it not true." Setzer countered, gently toying with a lock of his hair while the fire crackled amiably.

"Setzer, don't start, I'm not up for your condescending bullshit." Celes growled, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Watch your mouth in my house, Celes. You know my rules." Terra warned, tiny spots of color forming at the crests of her cheekbones.

"Sorry..."Celes mumbled, a frustrated blush coloring her cheeks. She shook her head once, her long mane of gold cascading down her back as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Setzer, how can you just set this aside like it's nothing. For the sake of the Goddess Most High, look at her!"

Terra jerked back in her seat as Celes flailed a hand at her. Her brow furrowed in frustration as she eyed the tall blonde, chewing nervously on her lower lip. The half esper sent a nervous glance to Locke, who sat staring, mouth agape as Celes turned a glare to Setzer. The gambler simply offered a chuckle as crossed one leg over the other, fixing the ex-general with a smooth look.

"I have not yet begun to condescend." The pilot warned, aiming a gloved finger at the lovely blonde. "And don't you start either, Chere. I've had enough of your self-righteous nonsense. Sure, it sounds wonderful when you proclaim your fears for Terra, but you're refusing to look at the bigger picture. If, and I stress the word 'if', Terra is ill, removing her from her home would do nothing short of weaken her. Emotions are connected to one's physical health, this is why so many widows die so shortly after their husbands. Taking her away from here could kill her. Do you want that blood on your hands, Chere?"

"Don't go there, Setzer." Celes warned, turning a dark eye towards the pilot. Whatever must have been in her look put a cruel smirk on Setzer's lips, his expression sending a chill up Locke's spine.

"I'll go wherever I want." Setzer replied with a contemptuous snort. He unfolded his long legs and sat up in his chair, propping an elbow up on the dining table beside him. "Unlike you, my past doesn't hurt me. I'm not afraid to walk outside my door in the morning. And, I'm also not afraid to look this situation in the face and see it for what it really is."

"Knock it ff, Setzer!" Celes barked, her face red as her hands curled into fists at her sides. "Stop talking about that. You know I don't want anything to do with it."

"No, Celes, I won't knock it off." Setzer rumbled, his eyes narrowing. "If you're content to torment Terra with this crap, then I'm content to do the same to you. Enough is enough, Chere. It's her choice, not yours, let it go."

"I won't let it go!" Celes cried, her sapphire eyes hard. "This is important to me, damn it!"

"Stop cursing…" Terra warned, her eyes darkening.

"No Terra, I won't. Not if it gets you to listen to us." The blonde continued, her face red with frustration. "You look worse than hell and feel even worse than that. You can't breathe, you won't eat and you barely sleep anymore. You just sit there in the dark, hoping no one will open the door! If it's a really bad night, you run off to the cemetery and sit there beside Victor waiting for your life to change. Take control Terra!"

Terra went stiff once more, her eyes hardening as the room went dead silent once more. Locke's jaw dropped open at his lover's statement, surprised by what was apparently a secret between her and the half esper.

"You…your not sleeping either?" Sabin inquired, echoing Locke's thoughts as he looked to the half esper.

"No, she's not. And it's not that she's having nightmares. She just won't do it. It's like you're afraid that you won't wake up, Terra. And that's not the only secret, is it? What else aren't you telling us, Terra?" Celes demanded, her eyes shining with angry, unshed tears as she glared down at the half esper.

"Anything I haven't told you, you don't need to know." Terra murmured, dropping her gaze to the floor though her voice remained strong. "Celes, I do honestly appreciate how you feel about this situation. But, I don't want any of you to be part of it."

"Well, why not?" Edgar demanded suddenly, his bottle green eyes hardening. "What have we done to be removed from your life like this?"

"You've gone around behind my back, Edgar." Terra replied, her gaze hard as it flew to the king. "You had no right. King or not, it's not your place. If I have a problem, I'll handle it myself."

"You don't have to." Edgar stated, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "We're here to help you. We want to help you."

"I don't need your help. I'm fine." Terra replied, rising from her place at the table and staring him in the face. "So what if I'm not sleeping. So what if I don't eat? It's my life and I can handle it. I'm not a little girl!"

"No one is saying that you are." Cyan said softly, holding out a hand to try and placate her. "We just don't want to leave you alone in your hour of need."

"I'm not in need." Terra sighed in exasperation, her face red. "It's none of your business. Now, for the last time: I'm fine. I'll have no more of this."

"Terra..." Sabin began, his voice soft as the half esper dropped her gaze to the floor once more, her shoulders stiff. "Why are you making this so hard?"

"Because you're all being ridiculous." Terra replied, her voice low. "I don't want to go to a physician because I don't need one. I'm a mid wife for heaven's sake. I think I know what to look for when someone is ill."

"So why can't you see it in yourself?" Strago inquired, having settled down from his last outburst. "If you're so good at making diagnoses, then you should recognize it in yourself. You already admit to looking as though you have the sickness, so why not do something about it?"

Terra blinked at the elderly gentleman, her eyes wide as she fought to find a way to reply. Locke watched her, his stomach tying up in knots as the half esper dropped her gaze, her hands clenching in her skirt. Reaching up, Locke swept the sweat-dampened bandana from his head and ran his fingers through his gray hair, his nerves on edge.

"S-she already said she didn't want it hanging over her head." The treasure hunter ventured, his voice shaking as all eyes turned to him. Grabbing for his teacup, he took a gulp of the now chill liquid, unable to fight a wince at its bitterness. "Why won't you all just let it go?"

"Because its her health, Locke." Edgar replied, fixing him with a cool green gaze. "Do you want to watch her die?"

"No, of course not." Locke countered, unable to keep himself from sneering. "She's right, you are being stupid. Why are you trying to force this on her? She doesn't want to go back to Figaro with you all right?"

The king stared back at him in an angry silence, leaving only the sharp crackling of the fire in the hearth and the harsh boom of thunder as everyone stared wide eyed at the treasure hunter. Edgar straightened, his shoulders stiffening as he went to reply, though it took a moment for him to formulate a response.

"That's not what this is about, Locke." Edgar replied in a low growl, his tone sending a chill up Locke's spine.

"Isn't it?" Locke demanded despite his nerves. "The only thing any of you talk about lately is getting Terra out of here and taking her back to Figaro. She doesn't want to go all right? Will you just let it go? So she's not sleeping, it's not any of your business."

"It's not like her, Locke." Edgar interjected, the growl fading from his voice. "She never used to have trouble like this."

"Didn't she?" Locke asked, suddenly angry with the king. He rose from his place on the bed. "You seem to forget the way she was when you met her."

"Those circumstances were different." Edgar demanded, his eyes narrowing. "She wasn't sick then."

"Maybe not. But she didn't sleep much then either. Or eat what we put in front of her." Locke continued, finding his voice rising in volume. "For heaven's sake, she refused to be alone for more than a few minutes."

"Locke…" Terra breathed, a faint warning lacing her tone.

The treasure hunter ignored her, too annoyed with the situation to give up on his tangent.

"I couldn't get her to rest unless I was in the bed with her. And even then she would just lay awake. So don't come in here and tell me that she needs our help when she clearly doesn't." Locke felt his face heating as he tore into Edgar. His heart pounded in his chest as Edgar's shoulder's seemed to slump more and more with every word. "I remember picking her up out of a half frozen puddle on a cave floor and having to bathe her myself once we were out of Narshe. Don't you dare tell me that she needs us now."

"Locke…stop." Terra warned, gently pushing herself up from her seat beside the table.

"No Terra.," Locke rumbled, throwing a harsh glance at the woman. "He…they need to hear this."

Gathering himself, Locke returned his glare to Edgar, his heart clenching briefly at the hurt look of the man's face.

"Do you have any idea what it's like to have to lead a shell of a human being into freezing water just to wipe the blood from her skin? And when you ask her to take her shirt off so you can clean the scrapes off her back, she doesn't know how? Or even how to brush her own hair?" He continued, his voice gaining a demanding tone as thunder crashed overhead. "Or, how about this? Let's jump ahead a few years and think about just what happened a few houses over from this very spot, hmm? That same woman who couldn't clean herself had to suddenly find food to put in a dozen starving mouths and take care of people in exactly her prior position? Damn it Edgar, she faced more of Kefka's cruelties than any of us during that year."

"Locke!" Celes suddenly squeaked, her face dead white at the subject he'd suddenly taken up.

"Can it, Celes." Setzer snapped from his place at the table. His ghostly gray eyes were hard as he drew Celes' suddenly enraged glare. "Let the man speak. I'm done tiptoeing around your emotions regarding the war. It has been six years; it's time to get over it."

"You can't just get over something like that, Setzer." Sabin said, with a frustrated sigh as he turned a tired eye to the gambler. "We didn't go through what she did."

"She didn't go through anything." Setzer affirmed harshly, his shoulders slumping. "She was in a coma while the rest us scraped and squabbled for every inch of our very existence those first months."

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here." Celes commanded, suddenly angry. "I'll not have it!"

"Woman, I will speak of you as I so desire." Setzer replied, his voice even and calm despite Celes' glare. "You have done nothing for us but to stamp down upon our memories with your irrational mental illness. Your response to our heroism is both ridiculous and crude. You choose to fear and despair over it and in doing so you keep us from remembering our tasks with joy."

"Setzer, stop." Locke warned, watching as spots of color claimed the edges of his lover's high cheekbones. "We don't need to get into this now. We have much bigger fish to fry. Like this shit about taking Terra away."

"Watch your mouth in my house, Locke Cole." Terra warned, though her words fell on deaf ears.

"It's not shit, Locke!" Edgar demanded, raising his voice much more so than Locke knew the king to be comfortable with. "I just want to help her."

"She doesn't want your help." Setzer interrupted before Locke could reply. The gambler got to his feet, gently tugging at his still damp linen shirt. "We've told you that several times now and still you ignore it. You are no fool, Edgar; so why do you act like one now?"

"I'm not acting foolish." Edgar argued, his bottle green eyes narrowing in anger. "I merely wish to aid her. She's ill damn you. Just look at her!"

"Edgar, calm yourself." Cyan said suddenly, rising from his place at the table and grasping at the young king's shoulders. "There's no need to get so angry. Celes, please sit down and let's be reasonable."

"No, I'll stand." Celes said with a wave of her hand. "I'm too upset."

"Fine, but there's no reason for us to argue like this." Cyan stated, his voice gruff with frustration. "You've all taken one issue and turned it into several different ones."

"It seems to me like this has been building for some time." Strago said sagely, folding his hands in his lap. "I never realized how much animosity there was between some of you."

"I don't think it's so much animosity as it is just a major build up of emotional stress over what happened to us." Sabin entered gently. "And because Cyan, Relm and Celes were all ill afterward, none of us ever really got a chance to talk about it."

"Yes, well that's all well and good." Setzer sneered crossing his hands over his chest. "But that revelation doesn't help our current situation. It doesn't stop you from trying to do something foolish."

"I agree." Terra grumbled brushing a stray lock of emerald away from her thin face. "You all seem dead set on being foolish lately."

"Terra, that's not true." Celes warned, waggling a scolding finger at the half esper as Relm scoffed in assent.

"Yes it is." Terra replied stiffly, fixing the tall blonde with a scalding gaze. "I consider the lot of you packing yourselves into a pair of carriages and trucking half way around the world to haul me out of my home rather foolish. And entirely unlike any of you, I might add."

There was silence as Terra surveyed them, suspicion in her amethyst eyes. Locke blinked at her, his shoulders slumping as he glanced at a flustered Celes. There was color in the lovely woman's cheeks as she kept her eyes on the half esper before her.

"Terra, we…" Celes tried, searching for something to say but finding nothing.

"No, Celes." The emerald haired woman said, her voice oddly tired as she pushed herself up from her place at the table. "No more. I'll not hear anymore from any of you."

"Terra…" Locke began, just as flustered as Celes. He felt his face redden as the half esper looked to him. As their eyes met, he felt an icy hand grip at his heart. The amethyst eyes that met his were cold and empty, leaving no more room for argument. "Terra, come on, don't say things like that. Give them a chance."

"I have, Locke. I have and they squandered it." Terra growled, her eyes so fierce that the treasure hunter could have sworn they were burning through him.

"Terra, this isn't fair." Celes interrupted, her hands curling into fists at her sides.

"No more, Celes." Terra warned, her gaze flying to the lovely blonde.

"But Terra.." Edgar tried, his eyes pleading.

"I said no more!" Terra shouted with all her voice. Raising a hand in anger, she slammed a fist down on to the table beside her. And, to Locke's surprise, a massive crack cut it's way down the center of the table, permanently damaging the surface.

Silence hovered over the group as Terra stared at the tabletop in horror, her mouth open from the shock. Slowly, she rose from her seat and backed away from the table, her hands out before her as though she were placating a wild animal.

"I…I…"She tried, though no real response came out of her.

"I told you the roof was leaking, did I not?" Shadow spoke up suddenly, his voice calm despite everyone's shock. "Look, the wood has weakened from water damage."

"But, I…"

"Terra, it's just a table." Edgar said softly, a forlorn note in his voice.

Terra flashed a glance at him, her face suddenly devoid of color as she continued to back away from the table. Looking away from the king, Terra turned her gaze to Locke and the look of helplessness that filled her face sent a chill up his spine. She looked hollow, standing there with all of them looking to her. But before the treasure hunter could speak to her, the half esper turned tail and ran out the front door and into the rain, leaving the door gaping open behind her as thunder boomed.

"Terra!" Celes cried, running to the open door. "Come back!"

But even as his lover called to the half esper, Locke could only stand dumbfounded. For as she ran out the door, Terra's normally soothing amethyst eyes had turned red.

-ooo-

The mud was cold and slick beneath Terra's bare feet as she tore blindly down the hill. Tears streamed unbidden from her oddly aching eyes as she rubbed at them with freeing hands.

"Why? Why?" She sobbed helplessly as Celes' cries finally died away behind her, leaving her with only the sound of the rain and the boom of thunder to keep her company.

Rocks hidden beneath the mud tore into her roughened feet, pinching and poking, forcing more angry tears from her eyes. Looking up, the great shadow that was the barn loomed over her, drawing her to it. Dropping her hands from her sore eyes, she ran for the building, her stomach lurching in anguish. Thunder rattled the skies as she braced against the side door, bending as she suddenly retched.

Cursing, the half esper wiped her mouth on her sleeve and pressed her shoulder against the door, forcing it open. Stumbling into the chill interior, Terra raised a hand to wipe at her burning eyes. Her stomach kicked over once more as the smell of hay struck her. She bent, fearing she would be sick again. When nothing came, she straightened and wiped at her mouth once more.

She kicked the door shut behind her without so much as a glance and started into the dark interior. Blinking quickly, Terra reached up to rub at her eyes, wiping the barn's ever present dust from her face and trying to get her eyes used to the darkness. Once her vision cleared, she bent and tore a handful of hay from a nearby bale and stuffed it into her mouth. It was hard and gritty, but the freshness of it cleaned the sourness from her mouth.

Still chewing, Terra wandered towards the back of the barn, her thin arms wrapped around herself to ward off the chill. More tears fell from her sore eyes as she reached out for the ladder that led up to the hayloft. Hoping it would be warmer up there, she spat out the hay and began to climb. At the top, she crawled out onto the strewn hay in the small loft, grateful that the air was indeed slightly warmer up here. Shivering, the half esper untied the laces of her soaked shirt and drew it over her head, laying it out on the hay to dry.

"What am I doing in here?" She asked of the air as she looked towards the newly thatched ceiling. Shaking her head when the air gave no answer, Terra bent and brushed her damp hair away from her face. As her hands came away from her skin, she glanced at her left hand, which had struck the table. The skin was red and chafed from breaking through the wood. Tears flowed anew as she rubbed gently at her battered flesh, wishing she had taken better care of her temper.

"Aw shit…doll face?"

Terra stiffened as the side door to the barn opened and shut, the offending voice calling out once more from within the barn.

"Doll face? I know you're here." Locke called from his place beside the barn door. "Are you okay?"

"I'm not sure." Terra replied honestly. She had thought briefly about not replying to him, but she must have left an obvious trail through the mud.

"What are you doing up there?" The treasure hunter asked from the base of the ladder, a note of worry in his voice. Terra felt her heart skip in her chest as the man began to climb the ladder, his breathing heavy as though he had been running after her.

"I'm not sure about that either." She replied as he appeared over the lip of the loft, his ice blue eyes bright with fear.

"Oh come on, doll face." He teased as he hauled himself up onto the hay strewn platform. "Don't you know anything?"

"I guess not…"Terra replied emptily, watching as he took a seat beside her, one knee propped up while the other leg hung over the edge of the loft.

"That's not like you at all, little lady." He said, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "Neither is what happened back there."

"Don't." Terra replied suddenly, cutting him off. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms about her knees. "I'm not talking about this."

"That seems to be your response to anything important these days." Locke replied softly, looking away. "You can't keep running, Terra. What happened back there? I've never seen you run from anything."

"I just couldn't take it anymore." She said, burying her face in her knees. "I just got so angry. And then…I…broke my table…"

"Yes, I saw that." Locke replied with a sigh, reaching up to pinch at the bridge of his nose. "Terra…you…that table wasn't wet. At all."

"Had to be." The half esper replied, stunned by the news. "It couldn't have broken otherwise."

"But it did. The others didn't get a look at it before Shadow and Jacoby started cleaning up." Locke continued with another sigh. "I didn't think you were still that strong."

"I'm not. That table must have been previously damaged." Terra affirmed harshly, refusing to accept his thoughts on the matter. "I'm human now, Locke. Strength like that isn't a human attribute."

"It is for Sabin." The treasure hunter relied dryly, casting a sidelong glance at her.

"Yes, well I'm not as large as he is, so it's impossible."

"If you say so, doll face." Locke gave in, dropping the subject. He leaned back on his elbows, turning his icy gaze out across the expanse of the barn while thunder boomed overhead. "Everyone's upset."

"I can imagine." Terra mumbled, pressing her face further into her knees. "I feel so stupid."

"Don't." Locke chuckled, reaching over to pat at her shin. "Everyone is allowed to get pissed off sometimes. I'd have gone crazy a long time ago if I was in your position."

"Still, I'm not proud of it." The half esper murmured in response, glancing at him.

"I wouldn't be either." Locke said softly, not looking at her. "But, you can't undo what you've already done."

"True." Terra conceded, looking away.

"Hey," Locke said softly, drawing her gaze. Her heart fluttered in her chest at the look in his blue eyes. There was something deep in there, deeper than she'd ever seen. "Don't worry about the damn table. I can make you a new one once everything dries out after this storm."

"It's not the table." Terra replied, brushing a damp lock of hair away from her face. "It's this whole thing. I can't believe I ran out of there. How could I be so cruel?"

"It's not cruel, Terra." Locke frowned, his brow furrowing as he sat up once more and turned to face her. "You just couldn't put up with it anymore. It's all right. Right after you left, they all wanted to run out after you. It was like it finally hit them just how much you need this place."

"Are they going to leave me alone now?"

"I don't know." The treasure hunter said with a heartfelt sigh. He dropped his gaze and Terra felt her shoulders slump in disappointment. She should have known better than to hope for a sudden resolution.

Raising her head, she looked over at where her shirt lay drying on the hay. When she reached for it, she found it to be still too damp to wear comfortably. Frowning, she gave up on it and wrapped her arms about herself for warmth once more. Thunder crashed high overhead, drawing her gaze towards the freshly thatched roof. The fact that it was holding up well raised her spirits a little, but not enough to bring a smile to her lips.

"Is it true?" Locke asked suddenly, keeping his head down. "That you aren't sleeping?"

"Why does it matter?" Terra inquired, taken slightly by surprise.

"It matters because it could be why you're so sick."

"Lack of sleep can't kill you, Locke." Terra scoffed, shaking her head. She regretted the action almost as soon as she'd done it as her soaked hair sent tiny rivers down her bare back. "Nor can it make you sick."

"No, but it could be weakening you." Locke sighed, reaching up to rub at his face. "It could be the cause of this…allergy…"

"Perhaps…"Terra trailed off, not really wanting to discuss this at all. The last thing she needed was to have Locke fawn all over her just because she wasn't sleeping.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it's not important."

"Yes it is!" Locke demanded, turning a desperate eye to her. Terra blinked at him, startled by his reaction. He continued to stare at her for a moment before slumping and dropping his gaze.

"Yes it is." He continued quietly as though he were in pain. "I need to know because if what Celes said was true, then I may be able to help you."

"What do you mean about what Celes said? What did she say that bothered you?" Terra inquired, suddenly aware that she was starting to sweat with nerves.

"She said that you were afraid that you wouldn't wake up, and that you were keeping even bigger secrets from us." He murmured in response, keeping his head down in such a way that reminded Terra of an embarrassed child. "Is it true?"

"Locke, we all have our own secrets to keep." Terra replied softly, fixing him with a cool gaze. "Am I not allowed to?"

"You are, but…not about your health." Locke said, returning his nervous blue gaze to her. "Terra, why would you be afraid that you wouldn't wake up?"

"I'm not. Celes is overreacting to a situation she doesn't understand." Terra grumbled, crossing her arms over her thin chest.

"She never overreacts without good cause." Locke affirmed, his brow furrowing as he began to get agitated. "Just tell me, Terra."

"No…I…"

"Terra…please…"

The half esper looked to him, her heart hammering in her chest as he continued to stare at her, a look of pure desperation in his blue eyes. Her mouth suddenly dry, Terra swallowed hard and tore her eyes away from his, certain he could hear the rhythm her heart beat against her ribs. Half of her screamed at her to walk away and not tell him the truth about how she felt about her situation. It screamed that he'd abandoned her for two years and had no right to walk back into her life now of all times. But, the other half of her basked in his attentions. It begged her to tell him just what had been bothering her this last year. She swallowed hard again, lost for an answer.

"Locke…"She began, surprised when her throat tried to close up on her from the strain. Finally, with a sigh, Terra uncurled herself and folded her legs to the side. "I don't know where to begin."

"The beginning is always a good place." Locke suggested, looking to her. Terra swallowed hard, her face heating as she stared down at the now dry mud that caked her bare feet.

"There really isn't a beginning; it just sort of started." The half esper sighed, gently combing her fingers back through her damp hair. "Hope was two when I first noticed a difference in the way I felt. Mornings were suddenly harder for me somehow. I always woke up hurting in some way. Celes noticed it first, of course. We had gone out camping and it took me forever to get out of the sleeping bag we always share. It was chilly, and I just hurt so much. She said I was just cold, and I believed her. Slowly, I got used to it; waking up every morning and hurting. And then, I started dreaming. I mean really dreaming. Not just remembering."

"Dreaming?" Locke inquired, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "About what?"

"Well…hrm." Terra tried, dropping her gaze once more. She had hoped that he wouldn't ask her that question. The fact that she was actually dreaming should be enough in itself. "I…"

"It's all right, doll face." Locke crooned smoothly. With gentle fingers, he reached for her hand, the rough leather of his gloves oddly soothing. "I won't tell anyone."

"All right…" The woman conceded with a sigh. She stared steadily down at where his hand gripped at hers, trying to draw strength from the image. "It's the same dream every time and it's always more vivid then the last time I had it. I'm always standing at the edge of a river. It's pouring rain and the river has risen so high that it's almost crested its banks. The water is moving so fast that I back away, afraid I'm going to fall in. But, before I can turn and walk away, I hear someone calling to me from the other side. I look up, and there's this man on the other bank. He's calling to me and waving at me as though he's an old friend that I haven't seen in years. He's always wearing dressy clothes, like he's just come from a party. And, behind him in the fog, is this building that I can barely see. And over the thunder I can hear music and people laughing like it's some grand event."

"Do you recognize the man?" Locke inquired, raising an eyebrow as though he questioned the relevance of her story. But, Terra shook her head, enticing him to question further. "What does he look like?"

"Well, from what I can tell, he's quite tall. And he's got this long blonde hair that sparkles even though it's pouring. And even though he's so far away, I know that his eyes are blue and there's so much kindness in them that you just want to fall into them." Terra blushed and dropped her gaze, the feeling of warmth that always accompanied the dream spreading through her. "But anyway. I wave back at him to show that there's no way across the river. But, he just keeps waving to me and dancing around, like he's waltzing with an invisible partner. And somehow, I know that it's me he wants to dance with. And when he's not doing that, he keeps pointing back at the party and in the back of my mind I now that the whole thing is for me. So, I go down to the river again, looking for stones that I can use to get across. When there aren't any, I try to find a thinner spot to cross. When I find it, I start to bend over to get into the water, but when I lift my skirt to get in, I feel that my stomach has suddenly swollen. I look down and…I'm so pregnant that I can't bend over."

"Pregnant?" Locke squawked, sitting bolt upright. His blue eyes flew to her face and she felt her blush returning. "But, wait…you don't…huh?"

"That's what I said." Terra grumbled, rubbing at her face with her hands. She dropped her hands to her aching belly and rubbed at it nervously. "But, I can't help but wonder if that dream was connected to what happened back in Figaro."

"That's a stretch, Terra." Locke mumbled, looking down to where she rubbed at her belly.

"No it's not." The half esper scoffed, fixing him with a glare. How could he just dismiss this? There was too big of a connection.

"It's just a coincidence." Locke dismissed, absently waving his hand in her direction. "Dreams can't affect you that way."

"Whatever." Terra grumbled, waving off his comment. Let him believe whatever he wanted. "At any rate. I'm so shocked that I look up at him, and he just smiles and nods like that's the way it should be. Like I'm supposed to be so pregnant that I can hardly move."

"So…why is this bothering you?" Locke inquired, raising an eyebrow as he returned his gaze to her.

"Well…Celes said that I was afraid that I wouldn't wake up." Terra intoned with a sigh as she dropped her gaze, a wave of depression washing through her. She didn't want to admit the truth to him, but at this point; she had no choice. "But the truth is…when I have that dream; I don't want to wake up. I want to go across that river to the party. I want to dance with that man and have a baby. I want all of it. But, what's frightening about it is that I know that if I cross that river and go to him, I'll never be able to come back."

Locke was silent as she stared at her muddy feet, waiting for him to mock her. She was quite aware of how ridiculous she sounded, but at this point lying was a poor idea. After a moment, the treasure hunter gave a weighted sigh and shifted on the hay, as though he were desperately trying to come up with something to say. Terra's heart fell in her breast as the silence lengthened, but as she was trying to come up with something to say to diffuse the situation and excuse herself from his presence, he extended a hand and gently gripped at her chin. She caught a breath in surprise as he raised her chin so that their eyes met. The look of determination in his icy gaze sent a shiver up her spine as her heart fluttered radically in her chest. There was a slight frown on his lips as he studied her face for a moment, a strange glimmer in his eye.

"Terra, I…" He began, his voice catching in his throat as she stared at him. Releasing her chin, he gently cupped her cheek in his gloved hand, the rough feel of his calloused palm sending an unusual thrill through her chilled form. "I…don't believe in dreams being any kind of window into the future but…Terra, I don't ever want you to cross that river."

The half esper opened her mouth to respond, but he settled his thumb over her lips to silence her, the sheer frustration in his eyes overpowering. He leaned closer and she could see that a thin sheen of sweat had broken out across his skin as though he were struggling with something.

"I don't know how to explain it but…I just…please don't try anymore. They say that we have control over our dreams, so please. I don't ever want to lose you. Not again."

Before the woman could formulate any sort of response, the treasure hunter shifted his thumb, and with a speed he reserved for the battlefield, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. Shocked, Terra froze as the thief closed his eyes, keeping the contact. A thrill shot its way up her spine as a strange heat washed through her, her heart pounding so hard in her breast that it hurt. Before she could react however, he pulled away, his eyes dark and alluring as he looked to her, the faintest of smirks curling his lips. She panted as her heart pounded, her brow furrowed as his smirk grew.

"I…I…" She tried in vain, her face heating as she tried to make sense of the situation. He'd kissed her! Her! Terra Branford! Wasn't he only supposed to kiss Celes? What was she supposed to do? Oh Goddess, help her! Dizzy and hot, she pressed a hand to her breast and dropped her gaze while he chuckled quietly.

"Geeze, Terra." He said, his voice oddly husky in the chill darkness of the barn. "It's just a kiss, you don't have to get all flustered. It doesn't have to mean anything."

"B-but…why?" She stuttered, uncertain of what else to say. Didn't have to mean anything? How could he say that? Was he losing his mind? It was a kiss!

"Because, you needed it." Locke replied simply, as though it should have been obvious. But, his eyes darkened again a moment later as he continued. "And, I guess…I did too."

"You did? B-but…"

"Shh…just…just shut up and kiss me" The treasure hunter murmured, his voice shaking as he leaned forward, claiming her lips for a second time.

Shaking, Terra let him close the distance, uncertain of exactly how to respond as he pushed her back against a bale of hay. His lips were warm and intoxicating as he tried to coax her into reciprocating, a wave of dizziness overcoming her. With a shaky breath as they separated for a moment, the half esper closed her eyes and gave in, feeling like a little girl. Encouraged, Locke meshed his fingers in her hair, dragging her back to him with a gasp as he crushed their mouths together. Terra moaned weakly as he teased at her chapped lips with his tongue, begging for entry. Another thrill shot up her spine like lightning as she gave him what he wanted, another moan escaping her when he raised a clammy, shaking hand to her right breast.

His hand was blessedly warm through the sopping fabric of her undergarment. Forcing her back against the bale of hay, his fingers easily tugged the bit of fabric down over her skin. She gasped meekly into his mouth as he ran a roughened thumb over the chilled bud of her nipple. He seemed to chuckle as he kissed her, the sound deep and throaty. The sound sent a wave of almost unbearable heat racing through Terra's core, dragging a moan up from the depths of her chest.

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, it ended. Locke jerked away from her as though he'd been pulled, practically throwing himself across the loft. Startled, Terra gasped, her heart leaping into her throat as she watched him kneel on the hay, rubbing at his face with his hands. With quick but cold hands, she righted her undergarment again, carefully wrapping her arms about her as embarrassment flooded through her.

"Aw, shit. I-I'm sorry, Terra." He gasped, his face almost haggard as he looked to her. "I…I shouldn't have. I didn't think about you I just…"

"It's…it's okay." The half esper panted, reaching up to brush a tangle of emerald away from her face. "Don't worry about it. T-these things happen."

"Do they, Terra?" Locke asked in exasperation. "How long have we known each other? This has never happened once!"

"Locke, it's all right." She replied, sagging against the hay bale he'd pressed her against just moments ago. Her skin was hot where he'd touched her, her breast feeling aflame as she caught her breath. A thin sheen of sweat broke out across her skin as she reached for her shirt, tugging it over her head despite the fact that it was still damp. Her head throbbed as Locke groaned and turned his back to her, obviously regretting what he'd done. Deep in her heart, the thought that he regretted it...regretted her hurt though. It hurt so bad that she wanted to cry all over again.

"Really, it is…"She continued, struggling not to choke on her words. "I won't tell…"

"That's not what I'm worried about…"Locke chuckled, a strange dark note in his tone. "I'm more worried about you than Celes…"

"Don't be…" Terra murmured in response. Her words were drowned out however by the trumpet of a chocobo just outside the village lines. A moment later, the cry was followed by the sound of wagon wheels in mud and the shouts of a group of men. Startled, Terra dove over the edge of the loft, a bolt of fear streaking through her

Locke shouted behind her as she hit the floor of the barn, her knees jarring uncomfortably as she skidded through the dust. She stumbled as she tried to get to her feet again, the sounds of more chocobo running past the barn filling her ears. There was only one person who could possibly be stupid enough to bring birds out into this storm let alone wagons and men. There was a gathered raucous cheer as she ran for the door, knowing full well what she would find on the other side.

Thunder crashed overhead as she threw the door open, her eyes flying wide at the sight of a knot of men standing in the center of the flooded square. Six large chocobo stood kicking at the dirt, their heads held high as their riders shouted to one another over the pouring rain. In the center of the group stood a covered wagon, it's cloth covering ruffling about in the wind.

"All right, find the little bastard. You heard Stephen, he was coming down from the mill not an hour ago." Cried a familiar voice as a tall cloaked man crawled down from the driver's seat of the wagon and stepped down into the mud.

With a rather wicked smirk, Thackery Holmes drew back the hood of his cloak and took a deep breath. With a wave of his hand, Thackery's goons spread out and went to each of the houses, pulling out various weapons as they went. With fear gripping at her heart, Terra raced out into the pouring rain as three goons started towards her house.

"Holmes!" She called, unable to stamp down on the rage bubbling up within her as the mud squelched beneath her bare feet. Locke called out after her, having scrambled down the ladder, his clothing disheveled.

As Terra closed the distance between herself and the leader of the band of thugs, two men moved between her and Holmes, barring her way. She gasped as they forced her back, knocking her into the mud. His attention captured by the commotion, Holmes strode boldly towards her, remaining behind the protection of his men as he stared down at her.

"Well well," He crooned as a gust of wind ruffled his travel cape about his frame. "If it isn't the Mother of Mobliz. I'm sorry, dear Mother, but you had your chance. I have conformation, only an hour old, that the boy is here. Now, you will either give him to me or I will take him."

"He's just a child!" Terra cried, pushing herself up from the mud just as Locke came panting up beside her, his breath misting in the chill air. "What could you possibly want with him?"

"Child or not, his family owes me." Holmes replied coldly, fixing her with a glare. "And since he has no money, he'll pay me with work."

"He shouldn't have to!" Locke demanded, reaching down to help Terra up. "He didn't do anything, his parents did!"

"Well, some one has to pay me back." Holmes retorted, clenching his jaw. "And like it or not, the kid's mine!"

"You can't have him!" Terra all but shrieked, pushing away from Locke. Her hands curled into fists as she made to shove her way through Holmes' guards. She'd strangle the man herself is she had to. He was not getting her son! "Get the hell out of my village you rat!"

"Your village?" Holmes laughed, enticing laughed from his cronies. "Sorry, lady. But this village technically doesn't exist! You don't own this land, no one does! You have no jurisdiction here!"

"We are a colony of Figaro, you fiend!" Terra shouted, her face heating as Holmes merely smirked at her, his goons forcing her back. "I'll have the King at your heels!"

"The king?" Holmes erupted with a harsh laugh. "Lady, you're delusional. Enough of this! Find him, now!"

At Holmes' barked order, his goons redoubled their efforts at the houses, throwing open bathhouses and forcing their way into Marian's front door. With a shriek, the woman was dragged from her house, her daughter sobbing as she ran out into the rain after her mother. Marian turned her head and bit down hard on the hand of the man to gripped her shoulder. With a shout, the man released her and hurled her into the mud. Before Amaria could run to her mother, Nestor came barreling out of the house, leveling a pitchfork at the men as his mother got up.

"Oh ho! Get a grip on that one!" Holmes laughed as one man ran for Marian again while two more went for Nestor. Marian whirled and planted a barefoot into her attacker's stomach as hard as she could before racing towards her son. The scarred woman ran full tilt across the muddy square towards the young man just as one of the men forced the pitchfork from his hands. She bodily threw the man to the ground, shrieking like a banshee.

"No! Leave them alone!" Terra ordered, her heart pounding in her chest as Holmes returned his gaze to her.

"They'll be fine if you give me the boy." The bandit leader replied simply brushing his quickly dampening hair over his shoulder. "The clock is ticking, Mother."

Terra's mind whirled as Locke broke away from her, running across the square as one of the goons whirled and cracked Marian in the skull with the handle of the pitchfork. The woman crumpled into the mud, her rose colored dress tearing on a rock. Enraged, Locke roared as he rushed the man who hit her, hurling him to the ground in a heap. The remaining man took a swing at the treasure hunter, who easily ducked under it and delivered a blow to the man's stomach.

"Kid's not here, boss!" A third goon called as he jogged out of Marian's little home, trailing her drapes after him. "But this place is loaded, get in here!"

"No! Grammy's stuff!" Amaria screamed, trying to run back to the house to protect her Grandmother's jewelry from the mob.

"Ama, let it go. It's just stuff!" Nestor called after her as she ran into the house. Only to scream a moment later.

Horrified, Terra rounded on Holmes once more, her heart aching as a group of five men began pounding on the door to her cottage. The others were still inside, no doubt hurriedly receiving an explanation from her son. On the other side of the square, a group forced their way into Katrin's home, the screams of the children as the men invaded reaching her ears.

There was a bang as the front door to Terra's cottage smashed outwards, three men flying off their feet as Sabin barreled out the front door, his fist planted in the face of a fourth man. The great man knocked the man aside like a toy, his body falling to the mud, as Sabin continued down the hill, hurling curses as he raced towards Katrin's home. Edgar came out next, his auto crossbow whirring as it spat out a bolt once every two seconds. Terra blinked in shock as the blonde man paused to reload before staring down the hill in their direction. She had forgotten that he never left the castle unarmed.

Howling like a demon from the depths of hell, Interceptor tore out into the rain, a black streak against the rain. Men screamed and fell aside as the massive hound raced across the square, his massive paws kicking up mud as he bolted towards Katrin's home. There was shrieking within as more howling erupted. A moment later, the hound's master raced into the fray, unleashing a hail of shuriken over a man fighting his way through the mud. The man went down without a sound, leaving Shadow to race past him towards Valda and Canaan's home. With Shadow out of the house, Edgar planted himself in front of the open door once more.

"Bloody hell, there's more of them!" Holmes shouted, waving a hand over his head to direct the men towards Terra's cottage. They ran up the hill as Edgar brought the crossbow around to bear on them, smirking as they hesitated in their path. "Go on, the kid's in that one! I'll bet you anything."

Edgar moved out of the way of the door as Cyan came racing out from the warmth of the little house, a broken broom handle in hand as he laid the first man in his path flat. He slipped and skid down the hill as he ran for where Marian lay unconscious in the mud. At the sight of the knight, Nestor called to him, tears in his big brown eyes while Locke raced into his house to protect Amaria. Cyan reached for the young man, grabbing him by the shoulder and turning him towards the house after his sister. Picking up Marian's limp form, the knight raced for the open door to her home, just as Locke hurled a bloody face man from within, a box full of fine jewelry crashing into the mud.

"Oh my Goddess! Stop this now!" Terra begged as more screams erupted from the direction of Katrin's house as the woman and her husband forced men from their home. Duane leveled his spear at one man while Katrin brought a frying pan down on a another's head so hard he crumpled to the porch boards like a doll.

"Give me the boy!" Holmes shouted, glaring at her. Beside him, the rider's leaped down from their chocobo to join the fray.

More sound erupted from Terra's cottage as Setzer raced past the still firing Edgar and sprinted down the hill towards Katrin's house. The tall man, reached deep into the confines of his long coat, drawing out a handful of darts and throwing them easily into the backs of the men on Katrin's porch. An animalistic roar sounded from the hilltop as a green flash burst from Terra's doorway, nearly knocking Edgar over in the process. Gau barreled down the hill on all fours, kicking up mud as he screeched again. He dove towards the chocobo, startling the poor birds and sending them scattering in all directions, trumpeting to the heavens in fright. Laughing, Gau rounded on the two men keeping Terra at bay. Shouting, one of the men drew a knife and went after the wild man, swinging at him with the blade. Not bothered by the sight of the flashing metal, Gau dove at the man, his long hands clawing at the man's face.

Making up her mind, Terra reached for the remaining man, who stood distracted by Gau's attack. Grabbing hold of his cloak, Terra dragged him back, choking him as he fell into the mud. Shocked, Holmes looked to her again, his eyes wide. A deep frown curled Terra's lips as she stamped up the hill towards him, mud squishing uncomfortably beneath her feet as thunder boomed overhead.

"Call off your goons, Holmes." She growled, her heart hammering away in her chest. Holmes frowned and shook his head, his now soaked hair sticking to his face.

"No, I want the kid."

"Tough shit," Terra growled, her hands curling into fists as she narrowed her eyes at the man. "You can't have him. He's mine now."

"Boss!" One of the goons shouted. Looking up, Terra felt horror twist her stomach into a knot as the man came out from behind her house, a big grin on his face. "I found him! He's in here!"

"No!" Terra screamed as Holmes directed his men up towards her house.

Outside the cottage, Edgar bent, trying to reload his crossbow as a group of men converged on him. With a shout, he dropped the weapon and rounded on the nearest man, delivering a crushing punch to his jaw. Roaring, two more men jumped him, dragging him down by his now destroyed cloak. Edgar gagged as they dragged him down into the mud, leaving the door wide open for the thugs to enter.

With a shout, Terra began up the hill, forgoing Holmes as she slipped in the mud. With a strong hand, the man grabbed hold of the back of her shirt and hurled her to the ground. Rocks hidden beneath the top layer of mud dug hard into her back and arms as she collapsed. Gasping, Terra pushed herself up from the now soupy mud. But, before she could get to her feet, Holmes leaned over her, a frown on his lips.

"You had your chance, Mother." He scolded, disappointment written across his face. His eyes were dark as she blinked up at him. "You had one and you threw it away. Now you have to live with the consequences."

Straightening, Holmes drew back and spit in her face before starting up the hill. A shudder of revulsion shot its way up Terra's spine as the spittle drew a quickly cooling trail down her cheek. Lightning streaked across the sky as she sat up, dumbfounded. Raising a hand, she wiped the saliva from her cheek, frowning as the drizzle became another downpour. Looking up, she watched Holmes struggle his way up the hill as his goons invaded her house. Tears welled up in her eyes as the scream of a young woman, no doubt it was Relm, echoed from the cabin.

A numbness spread through Terra as she got to her feet, her back and legs aching from her fall. Her fingers tingled curiously as she watched Holmes continue up the hill. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she was angry. Her heart pounded in her breast as she started what felt like a slow hike after the man, but she barely felt it. Nor did she feel the rocks digging into her bare feet as she jumped for him, her hands latching on to his shoulders.

Time seemed to catch up to her as Holmes cried out, crashing to the ground in front of her. The man slid down the hill ingloriously, coughing and spitting as Terra rounded on him. With a growl, Terra planted a bare foot on his shoulder, pressing him further into the dirt as he continued to slide down the hill. The man cursed and grumbled while Terra turned away and started up the hill, clawing her way through the mud. She ignored him a as he got to his feet, spurred on by the screams echoing from her house.

A normally calm soprano screamed in rage as something crashed within, followed by the sounds of an angry old man. Her heart pounded painfully in her breast as she scrambled though the mud, vaguely aware that Holmes was getting up behind her. More screaming erupted from her front door as Terra gained the top of the hill. Edgar lay on his side near the door, gripping at his bleeding head. He didn't acknowledge her as she ran by, her legs tangling up in her skirt. The sound of china breaking greeted her as she ran to the door. Pieces of her serving platter scattered across now muddy floor as Relm continued to beat her attacker over the head with the remains of the plate. The man screamed obscenities at the terrified artist as she reached into the cupboard for another plate.

At the back of the house, Celes had braced herself against the door to Terra's bedroom, hurling well aimed kicks at her attackers while Strago pounded on the man with his gnarled cane. With a roar, Celes delivered a crushing punch to the man in front of her, his jaw rocking awkwardly to the side as he fell back. Unfortunately for Celes however, two men took his place, forcing her back against the door.

"Celes!" Terra called, horrified when one of the men cracked her in the side of the head with an elbow. Groaning, the blonde managed to keep her footing, her eyes darkening with pain. "Get away from her!"

With a roar, Terra soared into the cottage, her skirt tearing on the sofa frame. Strago fell aside as she flew past, her hands catching hold in the cape and hair of one of Celes' attackers. The man squawked as she cranked back on his hair hard enough to injure his neck. Pressing a foot into his back, she pushed until she heard a sickening crack, throwing him aside. Celes turned as Terra's adversary went down and aimed another kick at the other man.

The men lay at their feet, groaning as Relm finally dispatched her attacker, Terra's finest teapot breaking apart in the process. Outside, Holmes was screaming for his fellows to make for Terra's cabin, convinced now that his prey was inside. Relm looked at the two of them, her face white as the sounds of men racing up the hill filled the living room.

"Well, come on." Strago mumbled, pushing himself up from where he'd fallen. "Relm get in with the boys…Hurry up."

"But, Grandpa!" Relm whined, over Holmes' constant hollering.

"That's enough!" Strago snapped, reaching for the door to Terra's bedroom. "They need you to help barricade. If those men come in through the window, you're their last hope."

"But…" The girl tried.

"No time!" Celes snapped, throwing the bedroom door open. Inside, Einon cried out, his voice wet from sobbing. "Strago, you go too."

"Oh no, I'm, not sitting this out."

"Just go!" Terra cried, whirling to face him. Her heart pounded in her breast as he stared at her wide eyed. "Protect my children!"

Nodding dumbly, Strago motioned for Relm to follow him into the room. Once inside, they shut the door tightly, a scraping sound on the other side of the portal indicating that they had barred the door with Terra's dresser. Terra took a breath as she turned away, making for the door. A commotion erupted down in the square as she came to the portal, drawing her gaze down hill.

Sabin and Setzer had come out of Katrin's home, driving back the bandits as they went. The two men had met up with Holmes in the square, forming a sort of two person blockade on the hill. A moment later, a shout erupted from Valda's front door, before one of the men was unceremoniously thrown from within. Locke followed the man out the door, roaring as he hurled the injured man into the mud.

At the sight of them, Holmes turned and raced up the hill, not looking back even as Locke sprinted after him. Terra backed into her house as Holmes came, searching desperately for something to defend herself with. Bending, she hefted a splintered broom handle from its placed on the floor. It was too light to be much of a weapon, but from the shouting outside her door, she knew he had no time.

Celes cried out as Holmes crashed through the open door, fighting with his cape. The wet covering dropped to the floorboards with a squelch, splattering mud over the battered floorboards. With a roar, Terra swung the broom handle at the spluttering man, the edge of the wooden rod striking him hard in the shoulder. Holmes fell back with a shout, crashing into Terra's broken table and tumbling to the floor.

"Get out of my house!" Terra screeched as she descended on him once more, swinging the broom handle at him like a club.

Holmes raised his arms to protect himself as she brought the rod down on his head. Exasperated, the man rolled under her blows and took hold of the handle, yanking on it as hard as he could. Overbalanced, Terra stumbled forward into the table, cracking her hips against the broken surface. She cried out as the bandit continued to drag on the handle, ripping it from her hands and throwing it to the side. Grumbling, Holmes shot up from the floor and reached for her, grabbing her arm and roughly shoving her away before advancing on Celes.

The blonde raised her hands in front of her, curling them into fists as she took on a fighting stance. Her eyes were hard as steel as the bandit approached her, intent on getting into the room behind her.

"Oh no, pretty boy. You're fucking with the wrong women." Celes warned, shifting her weight from foot to foot as he approached.

"I doubt." Holmes sneered as he reached for her.

With a shriek, Terra launched herself up from the floor and took hold of the back of the man's soaked shirt. Dragging him back, Terra kicked off the floor and threw herself on top of him, forcing him to the floor. She growled low in her throat as Holmes screamed at her, flailing in an attempt to dislodge her. He kicked the edge of her sofa, the force knocking the leg out from underneath it and sending it crashing to the floor.

Keeping her fists up, Celes stepped forward and delivered a bruising kick to the side of Holmes' ribcage. The man gasped and stopped his thrashing, curling into a ball beneath Terra as he tried to catch his breath. Through the blood roaring in her ears, Terra could hear Jacoby shouting to her through the door to her bedroom, fear in his voice. A moment later, Einon called out as well, his voice hitching with fear.

Hearing the young man, Holmes reached around and planted a hand on Terra's chest, shoving her off of him as hard as he could. The half esper squawked as she fell away, cracking her head against the edge of her sofa. Her ears rang painfully, blurring Celes' cries as Holmes rounded on her, trying to pull her away from the door. The blonde shouted obscenities as she delivered another crushing kick to the man, the blow finding his hip. Holmes grunted and fell back, tripping over a still downed Terra.

Growling, Terra turned, facing the bandit where he had fallen. A hot coal dropped into her stomach as Holmes started to get back up, his eyes flying to hers. There was a note of fear in them that hadn't been there moments ago. He stared at her, his brown eyes wide as she got to her hands and knees, her blood boiling.

"Get out of my house." The half esper growled low in her throat. She crept across the floor on her fingers and toes without rising, rage boiling away in her chest. Her ears rang sharply as she stared at the man unblinking.

Horrified, Holmes scuttled backwards across the floor, his muddy boots slipping every time he tried to rise.

"Oh…oh my Goddess…get away from me!" Holmes shouted, suddenly rolling onto his stomach and launching himself towards the door. "Get this monster away from me!"

Terra's lungs rattled painfully in her chest as her heart pounded. Sweat broke out across her skin as she crept across the floor, her eyes focusing in on Holmes. Behind her, Celes was calling for her, a desperate note in her tone. Ignoring her, Terra threw herself across the floor with a roar, her long fingers easily taking hold of the bandit's shirt. The man hit the wooden floorboards hard, cracking his head against the edge of the sofa. Grabbing hold of his shirt once more, Terra got to her feet, her skirt tearing more as she dragged the man out into the rain.

"Terra!" Someone shouted over the rain. But, through the roaring in her ears and the rage in her breast, she neither knew or cared who it was. Holmes stared at her in horror as she stood over him, her hands frozen into claws at her sides. She hunched over him as thunder rattled the skies. Despite the freezing downpour, her skin was hot as she grabbed at the horrified man's shirt again. The fabric knotted up in her grip, slippery from the rain.

Her stomach burned with rage as she reached for him with her offhand, her fingers twisting in his long hair. The man shouted as she proceeded to drag him down the hill, a wash of mud following in her footsteps.

"You come into my home…you threaten my children…And you think I won't destroy you!" Terra screeched as Holmes fought against her. Her heart beat a frantic rhythm against her ribs as he fought her, ranting and raving like a maniac.

But, she didn't care.

How could he? How could anyone do what he had?

Looking up through the rain, her eyes fell upon the battered houses, their front windows smashed in by the bandit's thugs. Doors hung open and almost off their hinges, flapping in the wind as the cries of children echoed from within.

How dare he!

"Terra! Let him go!" Sabin's voice broke through the storm in her ears, drawing her eyes to the man as he ran up the slope towards her. But as she looked to him, he stopped dead, his mouth falling open. "Terra…what…"

"I don't like trash in my village." Terra rumbled low in her throat. She turned a sizzling glare to the martial artist, her eyes curiously aching. Lifting her hand, she yanked on Holmes' scalp once more, drawing a shout from him as he clawed at her hand.

"Terra, stop!" Setzer shouted from across the square. Looking up, she found the pilot racing across the muddy square towards them, Locke huffing and puffing along behind him.

"Let him go." Setzer said, holding a placating hand towards her. "You could break his neck."

"Slime like him deserves it." Terra growled, giving Holmes' head a good shake. The man groaned and tugged weakly on her wrist.

"That's not for us to decide." Sabin entered, extending hi hands towards her. "Just let him go."

Terra didn't reply. She ground her teeth together as she turned her gaze down to the man in the mud. Sabin's words rang through her as her fingers loosened in the man's hair. Holmes groaned with relief as he fell from Terra's grasp, curling up on his side in the mud as she released her grip on his shirt as well.

"Boss!" Someone shouted from the square. Turning, the group watched as a man ran across the square, skidding to a halt when he saw Holmes lying in the mud.

Her heart pounding, Terra reached forward, grabbing Locke's dagger from the sheath at his hip. She ground her teeth as she approached the man, holding the dagger out before her in warning. No more. This man wasn't going to start another fight and live. She'd see her hands bloody again before this man started anything!

"Whoa! Terra!" Locke cried, going after her as the man stopped in his tracks, staring nervously at the lengthy dagger.

"Get out…" Terra growled at the man, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Get out and take your slime with you."

She kept the dagger level with the man's face as she glanced down at the groaning man at

Sabin's feet. The thug jumped when she returned her gaze to him, his face going white as a sheet.

"Yeah, let me get the birds." The man mumbled, staring at a group of chocobo that had clustered together by the barn, horrified.

It took mere minutes for the troupe of men to pick themselves up out of the mud, many of them nursing injuries. Terra gripped the dagger hard as she watched the thugs drape their groaning leader into the cart. Locke stood beside her, rubbing gently at a cut on his cheek. The half esper jumped when she felt his hand grip her wrist, his free fingers gently easing the dagger from her fingers. She looked to him uncertainly, suddenly aware that every joint in her body ached.

"Let it go…"He murmured softly, his ice blue eyes holding her gaze. "It's over."

"No…"Terra replied breathlessly, her heart still raging away in her breast. She watched as he tucked the dagger away into the sheath at his hip. "I…"

"Shh…" Locke soothed, slipping an arm around her shoulders as the rain finally began to let up. Terra wiped a stray lock of her soaked air away from her face, her breath starting to hitch in her throat for what seemed the millionth time that day.

It took less then ten minutes for the thugs to gather themselves into their cart, and gather their panicked chocobo. The man that Terra had faced off against sat high on the back of a grand yellow bird, a frown on his lips.

"We're going, Mother." He said softly as the rain gave up completely. "We will leave you and your children in peace."

"Never show your faces here again." Setzer warned, coming up behind the pair, his long coat flapping in the wind. "The child is ours."

"Very well." The man said, raising his eyes as a ray of light broke through the clouds. "Thackery won't be pleased, but I'd rather see him alive."

With that, the man wheeled his chocobo about and urged it towards the edge of the village. The bird whistled loudly and trotted proudly out of the square, the cart rattling along behind him. Terra sagged against Locke as the last of the men vanished from the village. Tears began to spill once more from her aching eyes as he shushed her, gently wrapping her up in his strong arms. As she stood there sobbing, the cries of the village continued around her. But, she had no strength to go to them. She could only stand there weeping out her pain.

**Six years, one week, two days, fifty-six minutes since the death of Kefka Palazzo.**

Locke sighed and brushed a patch of dried mud from the side of his boot on the back of the carriage before he hurled the sack up into the baggage crate. The sound of hammers pounding window frames back into shape came to him from across the square, turning his gaze in that direction.

Duane and Canaan frowned to each other as they covered Marian's broken out front window with a sheet of wood, hammering the nails home. The woman herself sat in a char near them, a frown on her lips as she rubbed at the sling her left arm had been tucked into.

With a heavy sigh, Locke heaved the last of the bags into the compartment before shutting it up tight and making his way to the small group. Marian offered him a pained smile as he approached, her eyes dark as she rubbed at a bandage wrapped about her head.

"How's the head?" Locke inquired, wiping his gloves on his pants.

"Fucking hurts…" The woman murmured under her breath. "I swear to heaven I wish she'd killed them."

"Don't talk like that Marian." Canaan warned, stepping away from the window. "You don't mean it."

"Yes I do, and I'm already going to Hell so a little more damnation couldn't do any damage." The woman huffed half-heartedly.

Canaan simply sighed in defeat and bent to pick up the tools they had strewn about the ground in front of the woman's battered little home.

"Marian's, you're just upset because we wouldn't let you help." Duane said, forcing a smile as he nodded to Locke.

"Damn right." Marian muttered angrily.

"All packed?" Duane inquired of the treasure hunter, his brown eyes muted from stress.

"Yeah…" Locke replied softly, rubbing at the back of his head. He dropped his gaze, poking at a rock with his toe.

"No one really wants you to go either." Marian entered, watching him.

"Don't make it harder, Marian." Locke sighed, a sad chuckle escaping him. "We need to go now that the rains have come. Getting back to Traum is going to be awful and heaven knows the road to Nikeah won't be easy."

"Are you sure Edgar can make that trip?" Canaan asked.

"Yeah, it's just a concussion. Thanks to Celes, his shoulder is back in its socket so he'll be able to move a bit more now." The treasure hunter replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Besides, if Terra makes him stay in bed another day, he'll strangle her."

"That's understandable." Marian laughed, rubbing at her head. "It's been two days."

"Locke!"

Locke turned as his name was called. Sabin was jogging down the hill from Terra's little house, the morning sun shining in his hair. The big man waved to him as Locke moved towards the base of the hill, absently waving to the small group as he left them.

"What's up?" The treasure hunter inquired, noting the frown that claimed the martial artist's face.

"We're ready as we'll ever be." The man replied, absently waving past Locke to the small group. "Edgar says he feels fine, but he still gets pale when he sits up."

"Are we sure it's just a concussion?" Locke asked, setting a hand on the man's thickly muscled arm.

"Celes says yes and I trust her judgment." The martial artist replied, clapping a hand on the treasure hunter's shoulder. "It's probably just a little worse than we though. He says he feels fine and he's eating like nothing happened. Don't worry about it."

"What did Shadow say?"

"Shadow waved a candle in front of his eyes and he seemed to follow it okay." Sabin replied with a shrug. "Said he didn't have any brain damage."

"Good, The chancellor is going to be pissed off enough as it." Locke mumbled, rubbing briefly at his chin. "How's Terra?"

"Don't know," Sabin said honestly, his shoulders sagging. "It's like she just doesn't want to talk."

"She'll be all right." Locke said warmly, clapping the big man on the shoulder. "She's just upset. We all are."

"Then tell me why her face is gray." Sabin argued with a sigh. "She spent most of last night coughing. We all heard it!"

"She was coughing because Valda made her drink that awful apple-lemon tea of hers." Locke chuckled, an icy hand gripping his heart at the look in Sabin's eyes. "It makes everyone cough."

"Yeah, but not like that." Sabin grumbled, crossing his beefy arms over his chest. "Locke, it sounds like a death rattle."

"That tea IS a death rattle."

"Locke, come on. Stop hiding from it."

"I'm not hiding, I'm ignoring." Locke replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "You heard Terra. No more. This is officially a mind your own business situation."

Sabin nodded to the affirmative but remained silent, his eyes falling to the ground in contemplation. Finally after a moment, Locke clapped him on the shoulder again and offered a tired smile.

"Don't worry about it. We've got bigger fish to fry. Somehow, we have to get his Highness home."

"Yeah, I'll get him. Say your goodbyes." Sabin replied, patting at Locke's arm as he turned and ran back up the hill into Terra's house.

"They'll never give up."

Turning, Locke was surprised to find Duane approaching him, a limp still in his step from being thrown down the stairs by one of Holmes' thugs The farmer paused to wipe sweat from his brow as he looked to the treasure hunter, a frown on his lips.

"They won't. Not until they take her away from us."

"They won't do that." Locke vowed, looking the man square in the eye. "I won't let them."

"Neither will I." Duane murmured. "She's not just a mother, Locke. She a grandmother and a friend."

"Grandmother?" Locke inquired, startled by the thought. But it made sense. By technicality Hope and Bishop could be considered Terra's grandchildren not to mention the pair that she'd raised that had left four years ago and had gotten married. Word was that they had twin boys now. "Oh, yeah…"

"We'll look after her." Duane said softly, planting a hand on Locke's shoulder. "Shadow said he'd stay another day or two, just to make sure we were all right. And Edgar gave us enough gold for new windows in every house!"

"You need them." Locke murmured, thinking about Edgar's delirious charity to the village. He'd given them the sack of gold yesterday, telling his brother to explain why. Edgar had meant to give them the money anyway, but none of them had thought they would need it so soon.

"Yes, unfortunately." Duane sighed, looking back to Marian's boarded up front window. "At least we found that chocobo, that'll make getting the panes back here easier."

"Yes! That was a dose of good luck." Locke laughed. Yesterday, Nestor had come across a one of the thug's chocobo grazing in the pasture fields he took the livestock too daily. It was already tame, so catching it and putting it up in the stable was no problem whatsoever. Cyan had looked the bird over, determining that it was a healthy young male. Since no one had come for the bird, the village had decided to keep it as a sort of reparation for the damage to their homes.

"You get home safe, all right?" Duane said softly, offering up a calloused hand. Locke gripped it tightly and gave it a good shake, muttering something about wishing he could stay longer.

It only too a few extra minutes to get the carriages ready for travel. Setzer and Sabin carefully helped a still wobbly Edgar down the hill and into the carriage. The king groaned weakly and pressed a hand to his bandaged head. The carriage drivers nervously fretted over the man once he was inside, wrapped in a blanket despite the humidity. Celes hovered around the group like an angry hen, huffing that the king was fine. Naturally, they ignored her and continued to worry over their beloved leader.

"Ooh! Morons." Celes growled as Locke went to her, a stern frown on her lips. "Why won't they listen to me?"

"Because they're idiots." Locke sighed, gently rubbing at her shoulders.

"Obviously." Celes huffed, crossing her arms over her ample chest. "At least we'll get him home soon."

"Yeah, why don't you go ahead and climb in with him." Locke said, giving her shoulder one last rub. "I'm sure he'd much rather see you than them right now."

Celes agreed and moved forward to push her way into the carriage. The drivers rumbling angrily at her. Shaking his head, Locke stuffed his hands into his pockets for what seemed like the umpteenth time and started up the hill towards Terra's tiny cottage. Relm ran out of the front door as he approached, a broad smile on her lips as she raced for the carriages.

Startled, Locke moved aside to let her pass before entering the house. He kept his boots on however as Terra had said she was still finding bits of earthenware scattered across the floorboards. The living room was finally back in order thanks to Cyan and Gau, but the wood planks that made up the floor were past the point of repair. A sigh escaped them as he ran his eyes over them, an icy hand gripping at his heart.

"Don't worry about it." Terra said from her place in the doorway of her bedroom. "These floors have seen worse than a few scrapes."

"But, It's just…not fair." Locke sighed, absently rubbing at the back of his head.

"Who said life was fair?" Terra inquired simply as she came away from her bedroom, absently wiping her hands in her apron. "You of all people should know that it isn't."

"Yeah…well." Locke stammered as she brushed past him and made for the door. Before she got that far however, he reached out and took hold of her arm. Terra stopped and blinked up at him, her amethyst eyes bright.

"What is it?" She inquired, her voice soft. As he looked to him, his heart began to pound hard in his chest. For a moment, he felt like he was back in the barn with her, hiding in the loft as they made out like teenagers. Her lips parted briefly with worry as she turned to face him fully, setting a hand on his arm. "Locke? You all right?"

"Huh? Yes! Yes… I'm fine." He replied, shaking himself. "Just thinking. That's all."

"Well, you don't have time to think." Terra chuckled, gently dislodging his hand from her arm. "You need to get ready to go back to Kohlingen."

"Yeah, home…" Locke muttered as she took a step back. His heart beat fiercely in his chest as he looked to her. "You sure you don't want me to stay behind and help out a bit more?"

"No, thank you." She replied with a slight smile. "Shadow and Setzer have already offered, and we've kept you long enough as is."

"Yeah. And Celes would probably hate me for it." Locke sighed, rubbing briefly at his scruffy chin.

"Probably." Terra laughed lightly, brushing a stray lock of hair away from her pale face. "Don't worry about us, we'll be fine."

Locke nodded gently and brushed at his nose, suddenly aware of how warm it was inside the house. Terra sighed lightly as she glanced out the door at the carriages below. Then almost as though she knew what he was thinking about, she said:

"Locke, don't worry about it. I feel fine." Her voice was soft as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "I just drank way to much of that tea. Einon thought it was awful too. It upset his stomach something fierce."

"All right." Locke conceded, returning his gaze to her. He raised an arm, signifying that he wanted her to hug him. A broad smile curled her thin lips and she slipped easily under his arm, wrapping her arms about his waist and resting her head against his chest. A smile found Locke's lips as she leaned his chin against her hair, wrinkling his nose when her sweat dampened hair tickled it.

"I'll miss you." She whispered, allowing him to rock her back and forth.

"Same here." Locke murmured back, allowing his eyes to drift shut as he held her. "You'll see me again. I swear it. I'll come back for your birthday."

"We don't have much in the way of parties around here." Terra replied, leaning heavily against him.

"We'll have to make it one then, won't we?" The treasure hunter chuckled, allowing her to pull away. Despite the heat, his chest went cold as she moved out of his grasp. She wiped her hands on her apron once more and offered him a small nod.

"I suppose we will." She sighed, sweeping the back of her hand across her forehead. "Now come one, let's get you ready to go. The sooner Edgar's back in Figaro, the better he'll be."

Just at that moment, someone called for him down by the carriages and he had no choice but to go. Leaning forward, he pressed a kiss to Terra's cheek, surprised by the sudden burning desire to meet her lips instead. A strange heat spread through him as he pulled away and he found himself unable to look her in the eye. With a smirk and a wave, he ducked out of the doorway and jogged down the hill, suddenly longing for the cool breezes of Kohlingen.

-ooo-

End Chapter. Hope it was worth your time! Please review. -collapse.-


	9. Broken Revelations

I cannot apologize enough for my lateness.

I do not own this game.

* * *

The Moments Between Us

**Moment Nine:**

Broken Revelations**  
**

**Six years, one month, two days, three hours, fifty-six minutes after the death of Kefka Palazzo**

Wind whipped joyfully through Terra's hair as the chocobo raced across the rocky ground. Glad to be running the chocobo, Keith, lowered his head and trumpeted loudly. Laughing at the silly bird's antics, Terra drew back on the reigns, slowing the great bird before he tired himself out to quickly. Annoyed, Keith warbled in the back of his throat and slowed, tossing his great head.

"I know I know, but you need to learn how to behave." Terra crooned, patting at Keith's long neck. The animal grumbled in response, his heavy beak clacking together to voice his annoyance.

The half esper chuckled deep in her breast as another gust blew over them. The village had acquired this chocobo just over a month ago after it had been invaded by a bandit lord and his gang of thugs. The poor thing had been huddled up in the cow pen, shaking his feathers loose when Marian's son, Nestor had coerced him out. They'd kept him of course, deciding they could put him out to pasture to keep him fed. It had worked, thankfully, but Keith was still young and had problems with authority.

The wind grew hot as Keith ambled onto the flattest portion of the open plain, his great feet kicking up baked dust and throwing it behind. Turning her eyes out across the vast expanse of open land, a smile found Terra's lips. The river sparkled luxuriously as it cut a path across the land, heading in the direction of Mobliz. It curved off east towards the sea less than a mile from the tiny hamlet. As they drew within the last mile of the village, newly replaced window panes in each of the houses glimmered amiably at her. She smiled once more at the sight, glad that they had finally gotten the houses back in order.

Keith hooted loudly as the barn came into view. Panting, he clacked his beak once more and gave his head a good shake, his feathers puffing out. Terra chewed at her lip as he raced up the little hill that lead into the village square. Veering off from the main course, Terra steered the great bird towards the open barn. Keith skidded to a halt just inside the doors, hooting softly as his rider eased herself out of his makeshift saddle.

The barn had a warm musty odor that tickled her nose and scratched dryly at her throat as she turned to strip the bird of his tack. Keith warbled grumpily at her as she finished, turning to brush down his long legs with a cloth she dipped in a water bucket. Finally, when he wouldn't stand still any longer, she let him brush her aside and head for the water trough. Following him, she grabbed hold of his great beak every once in a while to keep him from drinking too much to fast. It wouldn't do to have him make himself sick.

Once she was convinced he wasn't going to hurt himself, Terra slung his reins over a hook in the wall and stripped her bag from the saddle, the jingle of coins greeting her. A smile found her bloodless lips as she gave the bag another shake, reveling in the sound of the coins. Her week in Anthem had proved to be a much more lucrative then she had originally imagined.

The letter had arrived with Mr. Theyo a few days after the Returners had left the village. One of the families in town had a freshly married daughter due to give birth. They'd promised her thirty gold pieces just to come and give her opinion. But, the girl had proved to be skittish and nervous and almost impossible to talk to. She had gone into labor, sooner rather than later and the next thing Terra knew, the woman's mother was begging her to stay. The young woman had proven to be even more difficult the further she went into labor. First, she wouldn't roll onto her back to let Terra check on her progress, then she refused to push. Her husband was so nervous that he had fainted away there in the room. Finally, after hours on end, Terra placed a new baby girl into her suddenly grateful mother's arms.

Rather than the promised thirty gold however, Terra had ended up leaving the town with one hundred shining coins for her time. Chuckling, She patted at Keith's large flank before leaving the hot barn, her throat seizing up from the dust. She coughed a few times and waved a hand in front of her face to clear the air. The sun was hot on her neck as she started out into the square, the sounds of the children in the garden behind Katrin's house seeming so far away.

"Mother? Mother!"

Looking up, Terra watched as Jacoby jogged out of the open door of their little home, his boots kicking up hot dust. A smile curled her lips as she held her arms out to him, laughing as he barreled into her, nearly knocking her over. The young man laughed as he hugged her, his strong arms all but crushing her slight frame.

"I didn't think you'd be gone so long. What happened?" He said brightly, his green eyes sparkling as he pulled away.

"She had a baby, Jacoby." Terra replied flatly, despite the smile on her lips. "And I swear, I've never had one so difficult. She didn't want to do anything while she was in labor. Poor thing was scared to death. She was sweet though."

"What did she have?"

"A girl. The family was so happy about it that they paid me way too much." Terra replied, a broad smile curling her lips as she showed him the sack of gold. "One hundred pieces."

"Goddess almighty." Jacoby gasped, taking the hefty bag from her. "But, why?"

"I guess they had no idea what they were doing. They were just so grateful, and I couldn't say no." Terra sighed, watching as he gazed at the bag in shock. "Can you take it to Katrin's vault while I get settled?"

"Sure…" Jacoby trailed off, still gazing down at the sack of gold. "Hey uh…"

"Yes?" Terra inquired, looking back to him. Jacoby seemed to stutter for a moment, nervously brushing a stray lock of black away from his pale face.

"Never mind." The young man chuckled, fixing her with a gentle smirk she'd come to love so much. "You'll know soon enough."

The half esper blinked in confusion as Jacoby turned and made for Katrin's open door. Shaking her head, Terra tightened her grip on her bag and started up the hill towards her little house. Sweat broke out across her shoulder blades as a hot wind blew up the hill, bringing with it the sourness of baked earth. Brushing the bound tail of her hair back over her shoulder, Terra entered the cottage with a sigh. It wasn't much cooler in the living room as it was out in the sunlight, but at least she was out of the wind.

"Ah, there you are. And here I was thinking you wouldn't make it back in time."

Startled, Terra turned to find a familiar form laid out on her sofa. Setzer smirked at her as he sat up, absently brushing a stray lock of sweat-dampened hair from his ghostly eyes. He stretched languidly before getting to his feet and shaking out his long coat, which he'd been using as a pillow.

"What's with the look?" He questioned, looking to her with a smirk.

Realizing she was staring, Terra blushed and shook her head. Another smile curled her lips as she set her bag down on the sofa and went to him, allowing him to hug her despite the heat. He chuckled as she drew away, a smirk still painting his lips.

"Didn't expect to see you for a while." She said, finally understanding what Jacoby had meant minutes before. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, of course." The gambler replied, easing himself back down onto the sofa. He brushed the long strands of his hair back over his shoulder as he returned his gaze to her. "I came to pick you up."

"Pick me up?" Terra inquired, confusion writing itself across her face. "For what?"

"The opera." The man replied, reclining back on the sofa and crossing his legs before him "It's in two days. We need to be there tomorrow."

"Opera? Tomorrow?" Terra stammered, staring at the man in shock. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't you remember?" Setzer replied with a laugh, clapping a hand on the half esper's shoulder. "We're all supposed to meet Edgar there for his meeting with the head of New Vector!"

"Oh!" Terra gasped as the man continued laughing. A blush colored her pale face as she leaned against the sofa. "Setzer, I can't go to the opera. I just got home."

"So?" The gambler smirked, fixing her with a cool gaze. "It's the end of summer. The harvest isn't for another two weeks. You have plenty of time."

"So… I…" Terra murmured, slumping against the arm of the sofa. "The past few months have been too crazy for me. I don't need to be running off playing hero again."

"You won't be." Setzer sighed, longing back against the cushions. "You'll be smiling and nodding and wearing a lovely dress. You won't be gone more than a few days."

"Setzer, no." Terra said firmly, hefting her bag once more. She tired to ignore him as she stared, moving towards her open bedroom door to put her things away. It was blessedly cool in the bedroom. The drapes had been pulled over the window earlier in the day so the sun hadn't had a chance to really shine in through the glass.

"Why not?" The gambler inquired, watching as she dropped the bag onto her bed. Rising from his place on the sofa, Setzer brushed his hands over his soft white shirt as he went to the doorway, absently leaning against the frame as he watched her. "What's going on?"

"Nothing…" Terra trailed off as she began pulling her clothing out of the bag and setting it aside to be washed. She kept her back to the door, unwilling to allow Setzer to see her frowning at the very notion of leaving the village again.

"It's not like you to lie…" Setzer trailed off, stepping into the cool darkness of the room. Terra shook her head gently before looking to him once more, her clothes lying forgotten on the bed.

"No, I suppose it's not." She admitted a little sadly. Easing herself onto the edge of the bed, she folded her hands in her lap and looked to him.

"Then what's going on?"

"I'm tired, Setzer." Terra sighed, offering the tall pilot a soft smile. "Playing mid-wife is starting to wear on me."

"Then stop." Setzer replied simply, drawing a faint chuckle out of the half esper. He had never been one to put up with anything, and Terra admired him for it. If only he could see the intricacies of life here in the village. They needed the money too much for her to stop, and they needed her skill with the children too much for her to run off.

"I can't." She said with a sigh, gazing up at him from her place on the bed. Folding her hands in her lap, she fidgeted gently as she shook his head, a smirk on his lips. "What?"

"Yes you can." He said gently, moving to sit beside her. "The problem is that you don't want to."

"And what makes you say that?" The half esper questioned, allowing the pilot to slip an arm about her shoulders.

"Your nose twitches when you lie." He replied easily, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I know you too well for you to hide it. Terra, why wouldn't you want to go to the opera? You love flying. And it's been ages since we've gone up together."

"I know." Terra sighed, gently leaning against her friend. "I do love it. But, I just don't want to get involved. And I've never really liked opera all that much."

"It's more of a musical than a straight opera. It's right up your alley." The gambler tried, rubbing at her slim shoulder. "Fantasy and whimsical imagery of gods and goddesses fighting for dominance of a newly born earth."

"No, no it's not." The half esper sighed, sitting back up and gently brushing him away. Bless him for trying but, she just hated the theater. She always had, as far back as she could remember. It's not that she didn't know the reason, she just had no desire to share it with the pilot.

"Terra, you love music." The man pressed, absently brushing a stray lock of hair away from his face. He frowned at her when she rose from the bed and went to the little window, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared at the drapes. "I swear it isn't going to be all opera."

"No thank you." The emerald haired beauty sighed, keeping her back to him. Out of the corner of her eyes she caught a glimpse of herself in the small mirror she kept above her battered vanity. Fighting the urge to cringe, she looked away. She hadn't thought it possible, but she had managed to lose all of the weight she had gained during the past few months. Her face had grown thin again and the gray had returned to her skin. She was appalled to look at herself.

"Edgar would probably do better at this meeting if I weren't there." She continued with a sigh, absently brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face. "One look at me and everything will fall apart. I can't believe how much weight I've lost."

"We all have our good days and bad days, lady luck." Setzer said gently

"Try bad months." Terra sighed, wrapping her thin arms about herself as she turned to face him. "I've never been this up and down, Setzer."

"It happens to the best of us, Terra." The gambler soothed tilting his head to the side as he looked to her. His eyes were dark as he studied her, a calculating chill hovering about in their depths. A shiver went up the half-esper's spine beneath his gaze and she dropped her own to the floor.

"But, like this?" She questioned, reaching for the hem of her loose shirt. She pulled it up slowly, just enough to reveal the steady protrusion of her ribs beneath her skin. The gambler frowned at the sight and dropped his gaze, unwilling to look. With a sigh, Terra dropped her shirt back into place. "And that only took a few weeks."

"Haven't you been eating?" The man inquired, his deep voice soft in the cool air of the room.

"Yes, of course." Terra replied honestly, sitting heavily on the edge of the bed.

"Then how..?"

"I don't know!" Terra asserted, her hands rubbing together nervously in her lap. She hung her head, suddenly aware of an ache forming between her temples.

They sat in silence for a moment, a fog of uncertainty hanging between them. After a moment, Setzer sighed and squeezed her shoulder once more, drawing a faint smile from her. There was a sparkle in his eye as he looked to her, his smirk that of a man with too many secrets for his own good.

"Don't worry about it." He said gently, giving her shoulder another squeeze. "It'll fix itself, I'm sure."

"I wish I had your confidence." The half esper replied with a faint sigh.

"Well, not everyone is as lucky as I." The gambler chuckled, running a hand through his long hair. "Anyone with my winning streak would have confidence to spare."

"Be careful Setzer." Terra warned with a smile, waggling a finger at her friend. "Your luck will run out someday."

"Well, you'll just have to stay close to me to ensure that doesn't happen." The man chuckled, offering her a wink. A slight frown curled her lips as her shoulders sank. She supposed that most women would have found their hearts flip-flopping in their breast at that roguish wink, but nothing sprung up in her at the implication behind his look.

"Would if I could." The half esper, picking at her dusty pants. "But the children need me."

"Not enough to keep you from the opera." Setzer said, rubbing at her shoulder. "You can get away for a while."

"Setzer, really. I wouldn't be much of a help." She replied, fixing him with a steady gaze. The gambler sighed and leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees as he met her gaze.

"Terra, all that's asked of you is that you smile and be polite. Edgar will be doing all of the work. All that's needed of us is moral support."

"I won't be much support. He'll take one look at me and it will all come crashing down." Terra asserted somewhat sadly, her heart sinking in her breast. She knew full well that the king would see her and if not panic, at least demand to rush her off to a physician. This would surely start another round of arguments about her health and further drive a wedge between her and the rest of their number. "I can't let that happen."

"That's why we're going early, so you can see him before hand." Setzer soothed, turning a gentle eye to her. "He'll be able to have his panic attack be threatened numerous times by myself, down a flagon of ale and then be prepared for him meeting after a few more threats."

"Setzer, please. I have had enough stress laid on me from this already. If Edgar even tries to panic or fawn I swear I'll knock him for a loop." The half-esper replied, her fingers flexing into a fist at the thought of landing a blow against the king's law. The problem with doing that, however, was with her luck she'd break his handsome face and thus prevent the meeting. No matter how much he might deserve said punch.

"Terra, he'll be too nervous to fawn on you." The gambler sighed, pinching at the bridge of his nose. "Is that what this is about? Edgar?"

"A little."

"A little? That's no answer, woman." The man chuckled, blinking at her. "If it's not Edgar, then what is it?"

"I told you, I just don't like opera."

"Terra, it's not opera. I told you that. It's just a play with a few musical numbers."

"Look, I don't want to go. Play or not, I don't want to deal with this right now. I just got home for heaven's sake."

"I'm not ready to accept that this play is the actual problem here, Terra. I'm not even sure this has anything to do with Edgar." Setzer said sternly, fixing her with a steady gaze. There was a frown on his lips as he regarded her, his ghostly gray eyes starting to make her nervous. There were times she was certain that those eyes could see right into her brain and read her thoughts as though they were pages in a book.

"Why is that?" The half esper inquired, rising from her place on the bed once more. Her heart beat a fierce rhythm in her breast as she fought the urge to pace. He was right of course, the theater and Edgar were not the root of the problem, but they were certainly branches.

"Like I said, your nose twitches when you lie."

Terra frowned at him and raised a hand to rub at the end of her nose. The man on the bed sighed and pushed himself to his feet. His hands rested gently on her shoulders as he turned her to face him fully. She looked up at him, her face hot as he studied her. After a quiet moment he pulled her close, wrapping his strong arms about her and resting a cheek atop her head. Surprised, the half esper stiffened in his grasp, her arms straight at her sides.

"Edgar needs you on this." He said softly as he held her. Despite her usual distaste of physical contact with men, Terra willed herself to relax in her friend's arms, gently slipping her hands behind his back. "Whatever is bothering you; please set it aside for this. This is the last thing the world will ever need us for. All we need to do is scare this guy into going with Edgar's plan and then we're done. The last thing I want to do is support a pompous king and aid in furthering world politics, but even I am going to help with this."

"You're going to try and scare this man into cooperating?" Terra questioned with an incredulous chuckle. "I am certain that after all of his work building New Vector into an independent country, very little will scare him."

"You don't know that." Setzer replied, stepping back with a smile. He waggled a finger at her, sensing that her mood had lightened for the moment. "And you, my dear, are the most frightening person I've ever met."

"Oh? It's been a long time since I've been in a real fight." Terra chuckled, absently wandering to her beaten up old vanity. She tugged the ribbon from her still sweat damp hair and took up her brush, running it harshly through her emerald locks. "I can barely scare the children with tales of boogymen anymore."

"Sometimes adults are more easily frightened then children. And after this, your tales of political boogeymen will keep them up for weeks."

"No thank you." Terra laughed as she dragged the brush through her hair. "With winter coming, we'll all need sleep."

"One way or another, we leave in the morning." Setzer said going back to the bed and stretching himself languidly across the covers. "I should think just after breakfast. And yes, lady luck, I intend to take you kicking and screaming. I keep rope handy on the Falcon for a reason, dear lady, and I am more than a decent hand at sailor's knots. You'll not get free, I can assure you of that. As a side, why not bring your boys along as well. I have a feeling that it would do them good to get out of the village for a while."

"Setzer…I…" The half-esper tried, somewhat stunned by his threat, but knowing full well there was little chance that he would go through with it. But after a moment of deliberation, she gave in, knowing that the gambler would not leave without her. "All right, Setzer, but only for a few days. Then I need to come home. Though I'm not sure the boys would agree to this trip."

"Come now, Terra, Jacoby would leap at this chance to see the theater, let alone fly in the Falcon." The pilot replied, his expression coaxing and confident.

"Yes, but Einon on the other hand." Terra began, turning a small smile to the gambler. "Would bury me alive for even suggesting such a trip to him."

"Make him go anyway." Setzer replied offhandedly, a smirk curling his lips. "You're his mother, you can do that."

"Yes, but I don't want to force him." Terra sighed, gently setting her battered brush down onto the vanity once more. "He wouldn't enjoy it anyway."

"You don't know that." Setzer countered, sitting up on the bed to look at her. "Tell him Locke will be there. He'll do anything you want as long as he gets to see the thief."

"Locke will be there?" Terra inquired, her heart suddenly clenching up in her breast. The past month had proved to be difficult for her in the aspect of the treasure hunter. Their last parting had been so strange to her that it left her shaking in her shoes at the very thought of seeing him again. She had no idea of how to approach him let alone speak with him after he had kissed her so fervently in the barn all those weeks ago. In addition to that issue, she had been trying to work out the mystery of how she had felt during the encounter. She knew full well that it was desire that she had felt, but the feeling was alien to her. The emotion had never crossed her path before and she was not certain as to how she was going to cope with its sudden appearance. For so long now she had accepted a complete lack of any manner of romantic emotional entanglement; chalking it up into an inability altogether. But here not only a sense of the romantic but a full-fledged sense of desire had raised its head, demanding her attention whenever the man crossed her thoughts; setting her skin ablaze and her heart racing.

"Yes, Edgar had to beg him to come apparently." Setzer continued, rubbing at the back of his head. "It appears that he hates opera almost as much as you do."

"No, he just doesn't want to go because Celes isn't singing." Terra replied, hoping that the gambler wouldn't sense the quiver in her tone. Her heart thudded nervously as her paranoid mind told her that Locke didn't want to go because she herself might be there. She would not blame him after what had happened. It was most likely that he was ashamed and embarrassed about what he had done, if not hating himself entirely.

"No, she refuses sing on stage again." Setzer said, rubbing his hands together out of boredom. "She'll sing for Edgar's on his birthday, but that's it. She claims that it's not her style. In all honesty I believe that she finds the idea of performances and show business altogether boring. That seems more her nature and thought process than getting excited at the thought of being on stage."

"Celes wants to sing for children." The half esper muttered softly, curling a hand at her breast. "Lullabies are more her fashion of song than opera. She places more worth in such a small thing than in the cheers of an adoring crowd. I think the same way, to be honest."

"There isn't anything wrong with that." Setzer sighed, pushing himself up from the bed. "I just doubt that she'll have urchins of her own any time soon, however."

"Why do you say that?" Terra inquired, looking to him in confusion. "And please don't refer to children like that, Setzer."

"Yes, dear." The pilot replied with a chuckle, his tone that of a man conceding a nagging wife the victory. Terra frowned, but had to admit that it was rather amusing. "Celes will not have children in the near future because Locke has already found the children that he wants…Your children…with you as their mother beside him."

-ooo-

Terra watched as Jacoby hauled the heavy bag up into the storage compartment that Setzer had assigned them on the Falcon. There was a grin the size of the Figaro desert on his fine face despite the sweat that streamed into his eyes. The bag, containing extra clothes for the small family fit easily into the compartment, allowing it to close without difficulty.

"Why do we have to go?" Einon whined as he came up the steps and into the airship proper. "I hate performers. They're always so gaudy and obnoxious. And then they pass the hat around and expect you to pay them for a little song and dance."

"Hush up, Einon." Terra said sternly, though she was fighting the urge to chuckle. "You should consider yourself lucky to be going on this trip. Edgar's generous donation to the opera house is getting us all in to the opera for free. This is the experience of a lifetime for people like us."

"Who cares?" The young man groaned, much to the amusement of his older brother. "Who wants to dress up in stuffy clothes just to watch some bimbo sing?"

"They're not bimbos!" Came the aggravated growl of Ava as she hauled her own bag up the steps. "Do you have any idea how much work and thought goes into what they do?"

"Again, who cares?" Einon grumbled angrily, his hand curling into a fist as he whipped around to face her, his copper gaze thunderous. "And why do you get to go anyway? Don't you have fish to dress?"

"Because Mama said that I am to be a lady. And ladies go to the opera and wear stuffy clothes and speak with real gentlemen." The young woman replied proudly, drawing a chuckle out of the half esper. The girl straightened and puffed out her chest, which had further blossomed in the intervening month, taking her further into what was going to be a figure much like her mother's. She already sported a fine hourglass shape, but in only continued to improve with time.

"You, a lady?" Einon scoffed, his rust colored eyes narrowing even as a flustered blush colored his cheeks at Ava's showy stance. "You might as well try to put a pig in a dress!"

"Why you little..!" Ava roared as she hurled her bag at the offending young man. Einon squawked as the bag hit him, successfully knocking him to the floor.

"Alright, alright. That's enough." Terra scolded, planting a hand on her hip as she waved a finger at the young woman. "There's no need for violence, young lady."

"Sorry, Mama." Ava murmured as she bent to heft the bag from the floor. Einon grumbled as he got to his feet, tossing a glare at the girl as she brushed past him to put her bag away as well. His face was the red of a boy not yet sure of how he felt. Her rubbed dramatically at his nose in an attempt to hide it.

"If everyone's done attempting murder, kindly get yourselves up here so we can take to the sky!" Setzer called down the steps from the flight deck.

There was a mad scramble as the three young people ran for the stairs, Jacoby sailing up the stairs first while Ava shoved Einon aside and went up next. Terra laughed softly to herself, as she heard their footsteps pounding on the deck boards overhead. Curling a hand at her breast, the half esper cast her gaze around the living space of the airship. It had been so long since she had been within the great flying contraption that she had forgotten how comfortable it was.

Sunlight streamed into the cabin sparkling on the enamel accents in the various game tables Setzer had set about the room. The grand green sofa that she had spent so many afternoons on with her friends had faded slightly over the years, but was still so plush beneath her fingers that she could have sunk into it right there. The floorboards beneath the rugs glittered sharply in the light as the engines began to rev beneath them, shaking dust from the rafters. It was all so familiar even after all the past years. She could not shake the ridiculous feeling that it had only been yesterday that the Returners had scrambled aboard, taking to the skies as their desperate quest had taken them across the world.

"Ma?" Einon called down the stairs, a smile in his voice. "You coming?"

"Y-yes!" Terra called back, startled. Casting a last glance at the lounge, she made her way up the steps, the brilliance of the sunlight on the deck nearly blinding her. Raising a hand to shield her eyes, the half esper gripped at the stair railing as a hot gust blew itself across the deck. There was a racket at the foredeck, near the helm where the three youths were leaning over the railing calling down to the villagers as they gathered to watch the airship lift off.

"Avalyn, don't you forget your manners!" Valda called to her daughter from her place on the ground. There was a fearful note beneath the gruff warning in her tone that sent a chill up Terra's spine. A mother hen to the last, Valda would spend the next few days constantly worrying about the small group.

"I won't, Mother, I swear." The young woman called back to the woman, her voice bright with excitement.

"And you mind what Mama and Setzer say, you hear?" Canaan said, his rich voice full of pride.

"We'll look after her, don't worry." Setzer entered, a smirk on his lips. "She'll do fine."

"Emenda!" Terra called down, coming to the railing to look down at the gathering. "Will you help Katrin look after Bishop and Hope while we're gone?"

"Yes, Mama." The platinum blonde replied, a broad smile on her lips.

"And Alan, can you keep up on Oscar's training for the next few days? He just needs someone to watch him while he tends Keith."

"No problem!" The bright faced young man called back, while clapping Oscar on the shoulder.

"Enough, enough." Katrin called, waving an arm at them as she straightened Bishop's basket on her back. "You let us worry about things here. You go and have a good time. Be sure to keep a handle on things, no doubt they'll make a party out of this whole thing and need to be leashed in."

"Bring us back a program alright?" Marian called, waving to the half esper, who nodded back.

Nodding to himself, Setzer stepped away from the railing and made his way towards the helm. Now that the engines had sufficiently warmed themselves, he slipped his arms through the restraint straps. Taking hold of the levers he called behind him for those at the railing to hold on as the airship slowly began to lift itself from the ground. There was a great deal of laughter from below as the children ran back to watch it rise, with bright faces. The great ship hovered for a moment before the pilot engaged the booster balloon at the bottom of the vessel. The ship leapt skywards, throwing up a cloud of dust, the force pressing down on the passengers hard. The half esper bent her knees to help compensate for the force, her body remembering the need to brace involuntarily.

Terra gripped the railing as the deck quivered beneath them, caught in the breeze. Einon gasped beside her as the gas bag shuddered harshly above them, drawing a laugh out of his mother. She patted his arm in an attempt to comfort him, muttering something about the motion of the ship being normal. She took a deep breath as the ship turned lazily, quickly gaining altitude. At the railing, Ava groaned and stepped away, obviously disturbed by the height. Chuckling, Jacoby pulled her to him in a one armed hug.

Once they were at a satisfactory altitude, Setzer leveled off and gunned the engines to the south and east, making for the opera house. The half esper closed her eyes slowly and took a deep breath, suddenly highly aware of the salt on the wind. Over the roar of the air rushing over the deck, she could hear the dull rumble of the sea in the distance. When she opened her eyes again, she turned them to the east, where they were heading. The sea was a sparkling green fabric less than a mile off, the sight of it making her knees go weak. She rushed to the railing to stare, her hands gripping tightly at the bar as tears welled up in her eyes. It had been ages since she had last seen the sea from this height, and the clarity of it now, after only six years of the planet healing from Kefka's evil made her heart clench in her chest.

"Ma?" Einon inquired, suddenly appearing at her side. "Ma? What's wrong?"

"The sea…I haven't seen it from here in years." She replied, her voice shaking with unshed tears. "It's…so beautiful. Last I saw it, it was like a purple bruise."

"I wouldn't know. I never went to the sea after shit went down."

"Einon, the proper is 'I did not go to the sea…' And please watch your language." Terra sighed, draping an arm over her younger son's shoulders, her grip weaker than usual from pure elation.

"Yeah, yeah." The young man replied, half-heartedly. "Years huh? I had figured you weren't much of an aeronaut."

"Oh, she was once." Setzer called to them over his shoulder. "That one took to the helm much faster than I would have thought. I didn't believe her when she first told me she wanted to learn how to fly this thing."

"It was so different from the Blackjack that I just couldn't help it. The Blackjack was just like any other ship, with a wheel." Terra said brightly, a broad grin curling her lips as Einon stared at her, open mouthed.

"Yes yes, you never were one for traditional styles." The pilot laughed, calling Jacoby over to watch him. Still nervous, Ava drifted towards Terra, her hands shaking as she reached out to grip at the half esper's arm. A faint, knowing smile, curled Terra's lips as she allowed the young woman to cling to her. Experience told her that most people never took their first flight very well.

"You can fly this thing, Mama?" She inquired, the shaking of her tone fading away beneath her astonishment.

"I could a long time ago. But, flying is one thing and landing is another."

"You did fine." Setzer said over the rumble of the engines as they left land behind entirely and started out over the ocean. "Do you forget that it was you who got us off the ground when Doomgaze decided to dive bomb us?"

"Yes, but that was taking off. Remember, I was too out of it to get us back down." Terra chuckled, wrapping an arm about the young girl. Turning her gaze down to Ava, a faint smile curled her lips. "Ava, you know what helped me get used to this? Go down below and lay in a bunk until you get used to the motion. Then come back up and get used to the sight. Einon, please take her."

Einon huffed but nodded, determined to show how much tougher he was than the girl. He motioned for Ava to follow him and started down the steps, not looking back once. Ava growled at him but followed, nervously gripping at the railing. Terra sighed when she vanished below deck. If the girl was going to be sick, she would have done so already, so that was one fear out of the way.

"She'll be alright, lady luck." Setzer said from his place at the helm, not looking to her.

"I know, I just didn't think of how she'd respond to being up here." The half esper replied with a sigh. "It slipped my mind entirely."

"Give her time. Jacoby, can you go down with them? I'd like to speak with your mother."

Terra blinked in surprise as Jacoby nodded, his brow raised in confusion. She nodded to her son as he vanished down the steps after the pair, muttering something about settling in for the trip. Confused, Terra stepped easily across the steps, stumbling faintly until muscle memory caught up with her and she was able to balance on the slightly rocking deck.

"What is it?" She inquired, coming to stand beside the pilot. He regarded her quietly for a moment as he worked the levers before him to settle the airship into an easy path through the winds over the ocean.

"Are you ready for this?" He asked, his deep voice lowered despite the lively rush of the wind, knowing full well that her heightened hearing would have no difficulty picking his words out of the wind.

"Ready as I'll ever be." She replied easily, catching on quickly that this wasn't what he wanted to talk about. "So, what's the plan?"

"Well, we'll be there by late evening at the latest. The others should be there tomorrow after, giving us time to settle before the show. Which means that we have time to find you and Ava something nice to wear to the performance." The man rattled off, leaning over the helm levers as she regarded him.

"I don't need a dress, I packed my best skirt." Terra replied, absently waving a hand to brush aside the idea. "I'll just need to come up with something for Ava."

"You are not wearing that skirt to the performance, Terra." Setzer said firmly, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, a frown curling his lips. "You'll look more like a servant then the servants will."

"I've nothing else to wear." Terra replied, curling a hand at her breast.

"Don't worry, I'm certain the opera house has something you two can wear. They've got more costumes then they know what to do with. I'm sure one of them is bound to fit you."

Terra didn't reply to that, she merely nodded and cast her gaze out of the vast expanse of the ocean. Her heart beat a steady rhythm in her breast as the wind whipped in her hair. For once, it was easy for her to breathe. Up here, there was no pollen to catch in her throat and make her cough or clench up her stomach and keep her from eating. The rocking of the deck bade her muscles relax and the sight of the water stretching endlessly about them soothed her heart.

"You always did love being in the sky." Setzer said softly, watching her as she turned her back to him. "More so than anyone I've met in a long time. There were times I believed that you were born to fly. But in a way, you were."

"There's nothing like riding the wind." She replied, her voice rich as she took another deep breath. Her lungs thrilled at the chill air that claimed these heights. The salt tang set her stomach rumbling for jerky and fish, just like the kind they used to stock up on all those years ago.

"Agreed. I had hoped you'd do well up here." The gambler said, a true smile in his voice. "How does it feel?"

"It's wonderful." She replied softly, stretching her arms out as wide and high as she could, her hands open to the wind.

"Ma, I think Ava's sick." Einon called from the stairs. "She just kind of crashed."

Terra chuckled and turned to face her son, who sat white faced on the stairs, his rust colored eyes round. He gripped nervously at the railing as he waited for her, chewing on his lower lip.

"She's not sick, love." The half esper replied, stepping away from the pilot and making for the steps. "She's acclimating, I had to do the same thing a long time ago. Come on downstairs and I'll tell you all about it."

Setzer's true discussion with her could wait a little longer.

**-ooo-**

Terra lay on her side in the bunk, listening to the wind jar the little window in its frame. Ava's breathing was soft and light as she lay curled up in the bunk across the little room, the blankets pulled up over her head. The shock of being so high had knocked her out for about two hours, but she had slept hard enough that she had gotten used to the motion of the ship enough to eat the small dinner that Terra had served. Now that she had gotten used to it, the girl had taken well to life in the sky.

Unable to sleep, Terra sat up in the bunk, allowing the blankets to fall away from her slim form. Rising, she pulled on the long skirt she'd been wearing earlier in the day and slipped out of the little room. It was dark in the lounge, save for the thin light of a single candle. The sight of the tiny flame told her that the pilot had not yet retired for the evening, a comforting thought as she had no real desire to be alone. Creeping quietly in her bare feet, the half esper went for the stairs, her hand taking a quick grip on the rail.

The deck above was bathed in the silvery light of a half moon, giving the ropes and rafters an ethereal cast. Sure enough, Setzer sat in a chair near the tied off helm, reclining easily as the ship cut slowly through the night air. He turned as the top step creaked beneath her weight, a small smirk curling his lips.

"Couldn't resist the night?" He inquired, his rich voice gentle in the darkness.

"Would you have been able to?" The emerald haired woman replied, absently brushing a stray lock away from her face. She took a breath and wrapped her arms about herself, unused to the night wind.

"After how long you stayed on the ground? No, I suppose not." The pilot laughed, his eyes glittering as Terra struck out across the deck. The boards were still blessedly warm beneath her toes, a reminder of how easily the Falcon could find a sunny day. "Cold?"

"Nothing I can't handle." Terra replied with a faint shrug as she leaned against the railing, turning her back to the glassy sea. "You're usually not up here this late."

"No, but sometimes it's just nice to come up here and think." The man replied, crossing his legs as he reclined. "I'm not exactly looking forward to sitting through another performance with Locke. He makes things so much more difficult than they need to be."

"I wouldn't know, I've never sat close to Locke at the opera." Terra replied, absently fingering a lock of her hair

The pilot sighed, his gaze focused on her as she listened. "He hates opera almost as much as you do. He fidgets constantly and talks his way through every performance like a bored child."

"Setzer, Locke is a free spirit. He's more comfortable out in the open." Terra said softly, rubbing at her shoulders. "I can relate to him"

"Yes, well most free spirits can sit still for more than five minutes."

"It'll be fine, Setzer." Terra soothed, rubbing at her upper arms. "He'll probably want to sit with Einon. It'll keep them both out of our hair."

"Ah yes, Einon." The pilot said suddenly, rubbing at his chin. "How is he doing?"

"Quite well. He's actually a nice young man believe it or not."

"Tell that to Avalyn." The man replied with a chuckle.

"Well, the situation with Ava is…difficult." Terra said thoughtfully, casting her gaze over the moonlit deck. "They are the same age, you know. And, Ava's not an unattractive young lady."

"Ah, young love." Setzer chuckled, folding his hands behind his head. "Be careful, Terra. I'd hate to see them get in over their heads."

"It's no where near that serious." The half esper chuckled softly, rubbing at her arms again. "I'm hoping that seeing her in a dress will get him to treat her better."

"I doubt. It usually just makes men like that treat women worse. Beauty frustrates men easily." Setzer replied sagely. "Case in point, you and Locke."

"What do you mean?" Terra inquired, raising an eyebrow as her heart clenched in her breast. "Locke treats me just fine."

"Yes, he does now." The pilot said, sitting forward in his chair. "After how many years? Hm, it certainly does seem like a childhood romance between the two of you, doesn't it?"

Terra laughed, despite the icy chill that flooded her slim form.

"There is no romance between Locke and myself." She replied despite the sharp pang of regret at her lie. Truth was, she didn't know what was between them anymore, not after those precious few minutes in the barn. Her slight frame heated at the thought, a familiar and entirely unwelcome heat quickly forming below her stomach. She hated the smell that accompanied this heat and often wondered if others could catch onto it. It wasn't terrible, necessarily, but it served as a reminder that her body and her emotions were slipping out of her control.

"Well, there was at one time, Lady Luck." The gambler said with a smirk. The knowing look in his eyes sent an unwelcome shiver up the half esper's spine.

"No, never." Terra replied, shaking her head. "He never felt anything for me."

"Are you sure? I seem to recall a certain thief running half way around the world just to rescue you from yourself. He commandeered the Blackjack in the process so I think I know the truth."

"Setzer…" Terra sighed, hugging herself as she looked to him, quite aware of the blush that heated her face. "He only did that because he felt an obligation. He said that he would protect me and followed through, that was all."

"That's not true, Terra and you know it." The pilot frowned, keeping his gaze steady on her. "I seem to recall a half starved thief aiming a knife at me and saying that I either went by force or by choice. One way or another, he was going after you and there was no way anyone could have stopped him."

"I didn't know about that." Terra whispered as she stared at her companion in shock. She didn't know very much about what happened to her companions while she was laid up in Zozo all those years ago, terrified and confused with only the face and kindness of a powerful lightning spirit she barely knew to keep her from running to the ends of the earth.

"I'm not surprised." Setzer sighed, folding his hands behind his head and leaning back in his chair once more. The few rays of moonlight that escaped past the gas bag glittered in his hair as it tumbled over the back of his chair. "After the way things turned out."

"What do you mean?"

"How much do you know about the trip to Vector while you were in Zozo?"

"Well, they told me that they had gone to Jidoor to try and find a way to Vector from there. They heard about you in the city then set a trap for you in the opera house. They hijacked the Blackjack then flew to Vector. From there, they broke into the Magitek facility and found my father to bring me back. I do know that there was some kind of argument between Celes and Locke. But that's about it. It wasn't any of my business so I never asked for details." Terra explained quite quickly, suddenly aware of the thin sheen of sweat that had broken out between her shoulder blades. This wasn't something that she really wanted to be talking about, not with how confused she was about herself and Locke at the moment.

"That's very barebones, isn't it?" The pilot quipped, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I'm quite surprised that you don't know more."

"Why are we talking about this?" Terra inquired, uncomfortable with this conversation. "You don't even like Locke very much."

"No I don't." Setzer affirmed, lounging back as though this were nothing at all. "And the story I'm about to tell you is the reason why. Terra, you don't know just how much Locke cared about you, and I have a feeling that he took great lengths in order to hide it after he fell for Celes. When I first met him, it was at the end of a knife. He was thin, too thin as though he'd been refusing to eat rather than unable to find food. He was scrawny and angry and I was half expecting him to drop that knife and collapse. Thankfully, Edgar and Celes took control, asking me if I could transport them to the empire. It took some talking to get me to agree, but Locke was so anxious that Edgar confined him to the ship while we bought supplies. He didn't talk much on the way to the Empire or even on the walk to Vector. Finally, I asked him what was so special about you. The way he talked about you, it was like a dam breaking. He couldn't stop. He had so much to say and so many stories that I could have sworn that you were his wife."

"He was just worried about me." Terra murmured, his story making her heart race. Locke pulling a knife on someone? She couldn't imagine it. But, Setzer would never lie to her.

"No Terra, that man sounded like he loved you. They way he spoke of you…it was like he was an aspiring poet. You consumed him, Terra. His eyes always seemed to be filled with visions of you." The pilot continued firmly, his eyes hard through the darkness. "And the way he fought inside the facility. The man was a demon. He wouldn't stop for anything. And then, Kefka came and convinced Locke that Celes had betrayed us. It didn't take much to convince him so he must have been half crazed with fear. He was so angry with her that I actually felt badly for her. Then on the way back to Zozo, he would stand at the window for hours with the bag of Magicite, just looking at them as if he expected them to tell him the answers to all the questions of life. They may as well have been his lifeline."

Terra dropped her gaze, her face heating in the darkness. Had Locke really worried about her that much? Or was Setzer just trying to make her feel important. It didn't seem right. The story just did not match up with her memory. But, Setzer was no liar and this was not something he would come up with on spur of the moment let alone after much thought.

"That flight back to Zozo was painful." The man continued with a touch of a sigh. "No Celes, no noise. Just Locke quiet and nervous and Edgar trying to get him to talk. Didn't work until we got back to town. Locke sprinted up those steps, Terra. I've never seen a man move that fast. And when we got to the top, he just ran in, soaking wet and went straight to the bed. When I first saw you, all I could think was 'No wonder he loves her so much. She's beautiful.' And then you woke up and it just made more and more sense. Then, all of the sudden, it stopped."

"Stopped?" Terra inquired, curling a hand to her breast as she caught her breath. She had never truly noticed a stopping of Locke's fondness for her. But then, she had not been around him as much after she regained her senses.

"It was like he stopped caring about you all of the sudden. Sure, he wanted to go with you to the empire and then to Thamasa, but he just stopped loving you. You woke up and were fine and I was admired your strength and tenacity. You could accept something that would have driven most to madness. But Locke, he…When he saw that you didn't need him to keep living…He just, didn't care…It was like he just changed personalities."

Terra's breath caught in her throat as she gripped at the front of her shirt, tears welling unbidden in her eyes. No one had said anything about that to her. She'd known that they had rushed to rescue her, but no one had spoken to her about how it had felt. After her return, she had become so focused on repairing the damage the Empire's war had caused, that Locke's slipping away from her seemed more an acceptance of her independence than a sudden dislike.

"I…I didn't know."

"No, I don't suppose you would have. " The man sighed, absently rubbing at his face. "Not after the way Locke shut himself off from you in Thamasa."

"He didn't shut himself off, we spent plenty of time together, in Vector and on the ship…"

"Terra…"

"Yes, I know." The half esper said with a sigh, leaning against the railing as tears of remembrance of the time period stung at her eyes. "He felt poorly about not believing in Celes and in his misery he realized that he loved her. So he locked himself away, thinking he'd just ruined his chances of ever gaining her good graces again. But, now that I know what really happened, I feel rather inadequate in comparison."

"Terra, you are not inadequate." Setzer said suddenly, his chair scraping along the deck as he got to his feet. "Just because he's too stupid to see what you're worth does not make you worthless."

"I might as well be." Terra sighed, her fingers meshing together as she gazed out at the sea, though she could barely see it through the haze of her thoughts. "I lost the attention of a friend because I could not dazzle him the way she could. His friendship was the only thing I've ever desperately wanted in my life, even more so than bringing Kefka down. I wanted him to be proud of me, the way a parent is of a child. I wanted him to take pride in his knowing of me. But I never noticed when he…"

"Ignored you." Setzer finished as he closed the distance between them. He settled a heavy, gloved hand on her shoulder for support. Something in the pilot's eyes told her that he was quickly piecing the things she left unsaid together. "Is Locke the reason you hate opera?"

"That opera ruined my life." Terra whispered into the wind, surprised at her own admission. She had never thought of the events of that long ago opera in that way; but suddenly, it was laid out before her in that light. Tears slowly began to stream down her cheeks, leaving her face cold in the wind. Her mind reeled as she gazed down at the ocean, so far below them. Why was she so hurt? Why was she crying; and in front of Setzer no less? "It took away any chance of getting what I wanted from my friend, and it set in motion events that prevented me from deepening any kind of relationship I might have had with him."

"Terra, I'm sorry." The man sighed, his gently squeezing her shoulder. "I didn't know that you felt so strongly about him."

"Who else am I supposed to feel for? Edgar?" She demanded between in sudden anger, her hands working quickly to clear her face of tears as she whipped around to face him. "Because of that opera, I'm expected to settle down with Edgar. Edgar blessed Figaro! Because, you know I have to have feeling for someone in the party, all because we're a legendary band of heroes. Locke and Celes go off and be happy and the next thing I know, all eyes have turned to me, expecting me to fall madly in love with Edgar. Oh yes, it would be perfect. Queen Terra Figaro, half epser, a goddess among mortal women. I fail to see the attraction. Seriously, can you see me on his arm? A perfect picture isn't it? But do you honestly think, for one moment, that I would be allowed to return here and see my children. 'Queen Terra, in that filthy hovel? Unacceptable! She's too delicate! She'll break when the wind blows!"

"Terra, I…"

"Don't!" Terra roared, her hands curling into fists at her sides. "Don't say anything. I can't stand it; the way he fawns and goes glimmer eyed at the sight of me. He's not in love with me, he's in love with the idea of me. I don't love him, and I never will."

"Terra, how can you?" Setzer inquired, rubbing at his face. "You told us you couldn't love."

"I can't. At least as far as I can determine. The only person I ever wanted to love was Locke. But I never felt anything bloom. I wanted it so badly at first that it hurt, but now…and still…it haunts me, this want to love him."

"Terra, are you forgetting what he did to you?" The pilot suddenly demanded, anger in his ghostly gaze. "Do you forget the day Doomgaze attacked? I seem to recall him ushering Celes below deck while Sabin and Gau had to dig you out from beneath one of the support beams when it came down on you. Where was he when you were forced to the ground by the earth dragon? Huh? How can you want to love him when he has done nothing but ignore you and fawn over a pair of lovely breasts, blue eyes and blonde hair?"

"I know!" The half esper cried, tears to spilling from her eyes once more. "I know full well how selfish he can be. In a way, he is the reason that I cannot love. Because of Locke, I can never be hurt by love."

"Terra, that's no way to live." The man replied, crossing his arms over his chest and fixing her with a deep frown.

"Perhaps not for you. But, it serves me well.."

"It shouldn't have to live like that. Terra, you don't deserve to be alone forever just because of him."

"No, I don't. But I'm certainly more comfortable this way."

"Are you? Are you really?" Setzer demanded suddenly. His voice was much louder than he normally allowed and he'd gone as far to grab her shoulder, forcing her to look up at him. "Is this what you want? To be alone forever?"

"I'm not alone, I have my children."

"Yes, and soon they will grow and move on." The pilot argued, his shoulders stiffening. "Things change, Terra. And then where will you be?"

"There will always be more children, Setzer. That is the world we live in." Terra sighed, her body slumping against the rail as a wave of weariness washed through her. "I would rather be alone than get mixed up in heartache. It's not worth it, Setzer. You know that better then anyone."

Terra's heart shriveled up in her breast as Setzer went silent. It was a low blow to bring up Setzer's lost love, but perhaps it would get her point across. Thankfully, the pilot nodded in agreement and took a step back, his manner suddenly cold. Tears pricked at the half esper's eyes again as he turned away and went back to his chair, sinking easily into its comfort.

"Setzer…" She began, her voice soft over the wind.

"It's alright, Terra." The man sighed. "No harm done. I think that was something I needed to hear. Look, if that's what you want then, I'll support you. Just be aware that I don't like it. You shouldn't shut yourself away just because of some fool who threw you away."

"He didn't throw me away, Setzer. He never had me." Terra explained, turning back to stare out at the sea. A small island drifted along below them, signifying that it would not be long before they reached the shore. "Before I could tell him how I wanted to feel, we were fighting Kefka in Narshe and then they went rushing across the world to rescue me. I never had a chance."

"Maybe not then, but perhaps now." The pilot replied, sitting down in his chair once more. "You haven't lost every chance that's come your way."

"Setzer, I have no chance now either. Soon, Locke will wake up and ask Celes to marry him. He's already relaxed with the children, marriage is the next step. When Celes came to us for help, I hated the idea, but now I see that all he needed was to be immersed in the children. He's ready for it now."

"Terra, it's not the children or the commitment that frighten him…" Setzer trailed softly, folding his hands behind his head. "It's the thought of a life with Celes. He doesn't love her anymore and cannot accept it. He's forcing himself through the motions and trying to convince himself that it's all boundless love."

"No, Setzer. He loves her." Terra replied softly. "I see it in his eyes every time he looks at her. The longing, the worship."

"It's not worship, Terra…You're wrong. He doesn't love her anymore. He loves you."

**-ooo-**

Einon whooped loudly and gripped the railing as the airship banked a hard left through the cool morning air. Terra couldn't keep the smile from her face as the young man scrambled over to grip at one of the tie ropes and lean out for a better glimpse of the ground far below as the airship began its descent.

"Oh you like that, huh?" Setzer called over the wind, a laugh in his voice as he gripped at the steering levers. "Try this on for size!"

The pilot leaned hard against the levers and the ship's nose dropped dramatically, increasing their rate of descent to what Terra knew to be dangerous. But she kept her silence as Einon seemed to have a good grip on that rope and Setzer knew the Falcon better than anyone. Smiling, she wrapped her hands about one of the ropes as well and hung on. Below deck, Ava cried out and shouted a line of curses up the stairs, drawing a sharp laugh from the pilot.

At the nose, Jacoby laughed as Setzer pulled them out of the dive, his skinny limbs bending beneath the force of their sudden ascent. There was a crash below and another stream of curses, followed by more laughter from Terra's youngest son.

Forced by the shortening distance between the ship and the ground, Setzer leveled off and guided them in easily, less than a half mile from the opera house. Einon was all smiles as he rushed at Setzer, begging the pilot to teach him to fly. Setzer laughed and clapped the young man on the shoulder, replying that he might one day. Einon seemed pleased enough with that and raced for the stairs, calling to Ava.

"Nice landing, Setzer." Jacoby said brightly, his long stride carrying him easily over the deck boards.

"Yes, thank you." The pilot replied, clapping the young man on the shoulder. "Come on, let's hurry. Maria and Robert are expecting us for lunch."

"Maria?" Terra peeped, shocked by the idea. The famed soprano was going to join them for lunch? The half esper would have thought that the performer would have been too busy with rehearsals to take much time for anything else.

"Yes, of course." Setzer replied as though it were the obvious thing to have happen. "I expect it to be small of course but, I'd rather not be late."

With that, the pilot ushered them below to gather their bags. The wind was warm on the grassy plain as they waited for him to lock up the grounded airship. Terra watched quietly as the great gasbag drifted about in the sunlight, glittering prettily. A cry behind her made her turn her head only to find Ava trying to slap Einon across the face.

"What in heaven?" She asked as Jacoby caught hold of the back of Ava's dress, holding her off from the young man, who was bent in laughter.

"He called me a pig again!" The young woman replied, red faced in her anger.

"Okay, that's enough!" Terra commanded, a frown on her lips as Einon fell to his rump, still aiming a finger at Ava and laughing. "Einon, get over here, now. I don't want to hear a peep out of you until we're inside the opera house. And even then…"

"Yes ma'am." Einon cowed, seeing the angry glare in his mother's eye. He'd come to respect her anger a bit more since she had ordered him to scrub, hang and sort the laundry by himself a number of weeks ago after he purposefully brought bales of hay down on Ava to get back at her for dowsing him with water when he shouted at her.

Ava huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, throwing Jacoby a glare that could melt stone. The man blinked and backed away as though burned. Setzer laughed for his part and clapped a hand on Terra's shoulder and turned her in the direction of the opera house.

"Come on now, let's get inside." He said, a smirk on his lips. "We can all beat each other to death when we get inside. It'll be more fun with the Impresario fainting over our antics."

"Oh Goddess no…"Terra sighed, remembering how excitable the poor man had been during their adventures all those years ago. Setzer merely laughed and gave her a little shove.

The walk to the grand and stylish opera house was blessedly a quick one. The wind that blew across the vast plain was hot and left them sweating in its wake even as they fanned themselves. Despite the heat however, Terra cast her gaze about steadily, having long ago forgotten how lovely the Jidoor sun could be. The grasses that swayed about in the hot wind were sweet and fragrant and for once the smell didn't hurt her nose or make her cough. Ava giggled and ran ahead of them, grasping at wildflowers and ignoring Einon's angry glare.

It only took a few minutes for them to arrive at the steps of the opera house, Terra's eyes trailing up the road that lead into Jidoor proper. She was rather surprised to find that it had been paved in the last few years, a marker of just how wealthy this country had become. She chewed her lip nervously as a porter opened one of the grand wooden doors for them, one eyebrow raised in curiosity at their presence. When he saw Setzer however, the man offered a smile and ushered them within quickly, sealing the door behind them against the hot wind.

It was blessedly dark and cool in the entryway of the opera house and it took Terra's eyes a moment to adjust after the brilliance of the plains. The vastness of the hall had always taken Terra by surprise, but here, with the grand chandeliers dark and the drapes drawn over the windows, it seemed more like a cave then the palace of opulence it was known to be. The great staircases stood in shadow, leaving the upper floors in a veil of darkness as they cast their eyes around the vast space.

"Mr. Gabbiani?" A voice echoed from the nearby reception desk. The desk itself was large and crafted of a heavy red oak that looked more like it belonged in a palace rather than a theater. Seated behind the desk, on a stool that too tall for him, sat a boy no older than eight. His eyes were bright in the light that streamed in through the only open window, a soft blue-gray.

"Marcus, good man." Setzer chimed as the boy approached, brushing his small hands over his red tunic. He looked up to the pilot, admiration in his eyes as he brushed a halo of golden curls away from his cherubic face.

"I didn't think you'd be arriving so early, Sir." The boy said, extending a hand in greeting to the much larger man. Setzer chuckled and gave the boy's hand a gentle shake, a true smile on his lips. "I was only supposed to be waiting for the delegation from Figaro."

"We're a bit later than we had hoped, actually." Terra inquired, her voice soft in the grand hall. "Will the delegation be arriving soon?"

"Yes, Madam," The boy quipped politely, turning his gaze to her and bowing faintly. "Within the hour. A messenger caught them in Jidoor and brought back news of their desire to see the party preparations."

"Party?" Ava asked, politely from her place beside Terra, a hopeful look in her eye

"Yes, ma'am. The Impresario has planned a grand affair. There is to be a dinner for the meeting parties before the performance and we will be opening the dance hall afterward."

"So, he's decided to open for a full evening again, has he?" Setzer inquired a thoughtful look in his eye.

"Yes, this will be his first attempt at holding complete functions here once more. Now that the roof has been completely replaced over the dance hall, the Impresario has finally got his confidence back."

"Good news." Setzer replied with an appreciative nod to the boy, who seemed to glow at the acknowledgement. "That settles it. Terra, we'll have to find you something to dance in then."

"What? Why me?" The half esper asked, startled by the thought. She blinked at the pilot in shock, curling a hand at her breast. For his part however, the man ignored her, keeping his attentions on the boy.

"I'm sure that Mother could provide you with something, Madam." The boy said a bright smile on his lips. "The Impresario wouldn't argue with her if you were to wear one of the old costumes."

"An opera costume?" Terra inquired, her brow furrowed in shock even as Ava bounced on her toes beside her, overjoyed at the thought.

"Oh yes, Mama!" She said excitedly, throwing a glare at Einon when he scoffed at her excitement. "Think of it! An opera costume!"

"Well, let's at least speak with Maria first. Marcus, where is your dear mother?" Setzer inquired over Ava's excitement.

"In her dressing room, I think. I'd take you but I have to wait for the delegation to arrive. Which reminds me, I need to open these curtains!" With that, Marcus turned and raced off towards the nearest window.

"Don't worry, I know the way. Follow me." Setzer said with a slight chuckle as he turned towards one of the grand staircases.

Terra gazed steadily about them as light began to flood in through the windows as the grand red drapes were drawn away from the high panes of glass. Much to Terra's dismay, Ava paused on the landing to gaze at the high panes of glass, much as Jacoby had done back in Figaro. But before Terra could do anything to stop her, Jacoby set a hand on the girl's shoulder and directed her to continue up the stairs. The half esper flashed her gaze to Setzer for the briefest of moments, fearing his response, but to his credit Setzer offered her a smirk and said something about there being much more to see. Ava nodded excitedly and hefted her skirts, trying to keep pace with him as his long stride carried him up the steps.

The hall beyond the stairs was much lighter as the drapes had been pulled away from the windows. The view from the second floor was marvelous and Jacoby went with Ava this time to stare out at the rapidly growing Jidoor visible over the sparkling expanse of Jidoor harbor.

"Mother, it's huge!" Jacoby called over his shoulder, motioning for her to join them at the window. Einon scoffed however and went to the windows, absently digging the toe of his boot into the plush red carpeting much to his mother's chagrin.

"Yes, it has grown a bit in the last few years." Terra chuckled, trying to ignore her younger son's behavior. "Come on then, I want you all clean and smiling before the Figaro delegation gets here. Setzer, is there anywhere we can clean up?"

"Yes, Maria's dressing room is just ahead." The pilot replied, throwing her a smirk as he continued down the hallway, a glimmer in his eye.

"Her dressing room?" Jacoby inquired, raising an eyebrow at the gambler. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Yes of course it is. She won't be meeting the delegation in there and that's the best place to find these girls some dresses." He winked at Terra in particular and the half esper felt her heart catch in her breast at the roguish gleam in his eyes. "Knowing her, she'll be more excited to see the lot of you rather then to meet the delegation."

"But, why?" Jacoby inquired, looking to the pilot in surprise.

"You're much more earthly people." The pilot chuckled, brushing a stray lock of hair away from his scarred face. "She may be a famous opera singer, but Maria came from quite a humble background. Farm girl if I remember correctly. She's not a fan of the haughty noble types."

"That's refreshing." Terra murmured as Setzer led them to a door near the end of the hallway. A side table was set up beside the closed portal, a large bouquet of Jidoor roses resting in a vase beside it. Ava gasped at the sight and rushed to take a whiff of the heady blooms, the rich scent putting a blush on her cheeks.

"These are heavenly!" The girl said excitedly, ignoring Einon's scoff.

"They're her favorite." Setzer explained with a laugh. "This hallway will be filled with them after the performance."

Ava gazed at him in shock as he raised a hand to rap his knuckles against the oak door of the dressing room. The knock was met with a soft acknowledgement from within. Smiling oddly brightly, Setzer gripped the fine wrought iron handle and moved within. The room was oddly dark for a dressing room, the only light came from candles in sconces above a large mirror against the far wall.

"Maria, darling." Setzer called softly into the room, frowning at the darkness. "Why is it so dark?"

"That isn't Setzer is it?" Came a rich soprano from within the confines of the shadowy room. A moment later, the voice's owner poked her head around a changing screen in the corner of the room, the candle light flickering beautifully in her long golden hair. "Oh Goddess! In with you! In!"

Setzer laughed and waved the group into the room, quickly shutting the door behind him. The air was heady with the smell of perfume and the cluster of roses outside the door only added to the thickness of the atmosphere. Various drapes and cushions were strewn around the room, lending it an air of opulent coziness that sent Terra's head spinning. An annoyed grumble drifted from behind the dressing screen before the woman herself stepped out, draping a light satin robe over a chemise as she came out.

"Setzer! My dear!" The soprano cried excitedly, hurrying across the floor to throw her arms about the pilot. Setzer laughed and slipped an arm about her slim waist, hefting her from the floor for a moment.

"Ah, Maria my angel. Look at you, you've all but vanished in the past month! What have you done to yourself?" The man inquired as he gripped the singer's hands and stepped back to gaze at her.

Maria cut a lovely figure despite the loose drape of her robe. Sporting a perfect hourglass figure, it was no wonder the woman was considered a worldwide heart throb. Hazel eyes of an uncanny richness gazed out of a warm and ever smiling heart shaped face, bearing the thin nose that was a hallmark of natural born Jidoor nationals. She was much taller than Terra would have thought, standing a few inches over her in fact.

"Well, this new director didn't like the fact that I looked like a mother. Goddess forbid." Maria scoffed, planting an elegant hand on one lusciously curved hip. "So, he put me on this diet and I swear to heaven I have never hated greens this much in my life. And the worst thing is, he wants me to wear this corset that still hardly fits! With how tight he wants it, I can't sing!"

"No one likes guest conductors very much…"Setzer replied in an attempt to comfort the soprano. "But come, I have brought friends."

"Yes, I see them. Will you introduce me?" The singer inquired with a delightful smile as she pressed a finger into the pilot's side as though chiding him for not introducing them sooner. The introductions went blessedly quickly, though Terra had to prod at a still sulking Einon to get him to actually greet the singer politely.

"Ah, so they do exist, Setzer." Maria teased after a moment, turning her smile to the family group once more. "They way you spoke about them, I hadn't thought I'd find such pleasant faces. Welcome to our country and the star of our nation, the opera house!"

"Maria, I do believe you are the star of this country, not a building." Setzer teased.

"Oh hush, you. One day I will retire and my new protégé will take my place. Stars fade, but the building lasts."

"I can't wait to see it when it's all lit up. " Ava said suddenly, unable to hold her excitement within any longer. "Will the seats be filled? Will there be nobles attending?"

Maria laughed brightly and extended an arm to the girl, beckoning her over to her dressing table.

"Oh yes, sweet one." Maria crooned, as she reached for what looked like a light box exposure tucked into the corner of her grand mirror, offering it to the girl to see. "You are lucky to be here for tonight's performance. Because of this meeting of the nations, our dear Impresario had pulled out all of the stops. This will be an event the likes of which Jidoor has not seen in ages."

**-ooo-**

Terra sighed and set the thick bristled brush down on the vanity, her scalp aching from the brutal brushing she'd just given her hair. She tugged absently at the high tail she'd bound it into, satisfied when it did not loosen or come undone.

"Mama, I'm not sure that I can walk in this dress." Ava mumbled as she paced back and forth in the little room they had been given to prepare. Her hands were caught up in the great emerald taffeta folds of the gown that Maria had selected for her, trying to keep it away from her slippered feet so as not to trod on the hem.

Terra offered her a small smile, a chuckle escaping her as the girl laid a hand over her tightly bound torso in an attempt to help herself bend enough to sit in a large wing chair.

"I feel squashed…"The girl groaned, pawing at the loose curls Terra had bound her hair into not long before.

"Don't poke at them, Avalyn." Terra crooned, absently tightening her soft robe about herself as she went across the floor to straighten the girl's curls once more. "All high society dresses like this these days. They want you to have large breasts and a tiny waist. So, squashed it is, dear heart."

"Well, I've got the tiny waist at least." Ava grumbled, catching sight of herself in the nearby mirror.

"You're young, and they're larger than you think. You'll come to hate them soon." Terra chuckled, trailing a finger over the girl's cheek before turning and moving back towards the vanity. Gazing at herself in the mirror however, she could understand Ava's hatred of her figure. Rather than just being tiny in the waist, Terra had become tiny everywhere in the past few years. She sighed and leaned forward to examine her face, fingers trailing over the sharp angles of her cheekbones. She was no longer a beauty, that was for certain.

"Are you alright, Mama?" Ava inquired, shifting uncomfortably in the chair.

"Yes," The half esper replied, looking towards her with a small smile. "Just a little nervous."

"You're telling me." Ava chuckled, rubbing at her belly once more. "What if I embarrass myself?"

"You won't." Terra chuckled, moving towards the hook on which a maid had hung her evening gown. It was a lovely affair in a soft white fabric that she couldn't place. A halter neckline, which she still wasn't entirely sure she would be comfortable in and a gathering at one hip before a straight drop to the floor. It wasn't fancy enough for a meeting with royalty, but certainly enough for a trip to the opera.

"How can you be sure?"

"Because I have faith in you." The half esper replied warmly, hoping to quell the girl's fears. "Just because they are royalty does not make them any less men. Remember that."

Ava was silent as Terra carefully untied her robe and cast it aside into a chair. She felt the girl's eyes on her back as she pulled the dress down from the hook and slipped it over her head. She straightened it quickly, oddly uncomfortable with the scrutiny, her hands quickly clasping it at her neck before she turned to face the girl. Much to Terra's relief, there was a smile on Ava's lips as she cast her gaze over her. The half esper trailed her fingers over her front before turning to look into the mirror on the vanity.

"That dress makes you look busty, Mama."

And indeed it did. A little too endowed for Terra's tastes, but it was too late to select another gown from the opera house's costume supply. It wasn't unattractive, just uncomfortable. With a sigh, Terra accepted her fate for the evening and returned to the vanity to rifle through the small box of costume jewelry that Maria had given them before they started to prepare for their evening.

"There are some pearls in there." Ava said, pushing herself up from the chair as Terra took a seat on the stool in front of the vanity. "They'd be perfect."

"I don't want anything too fancy, dear." The half esper replied as Ava took the box from her and began rifling through it.

"They weren't. Ah, here." She drew what was indeed a rather simple strand of pearls from the box and laid them out on the vanity for inspection. Following the necklace came a bracelet of the same pearls, which Terra slipped on almost immediately. Ava laughed as Terra blushed, admiring the bracelet on her wrist.

"Alright, I'll wear them." Terra conceded as she gazed at the bracelet. The strand of pearls draped easily over her pronounced collarbone, drawing attention away from what she still considered to be too much cleavage. Gazing at herself in the mirror once more, Terra raised a finger to unhook a few stray locks of hair from behind her ears. With a small smile, she set to curling them as Avalyn looked on, giggling.

A few minutes later, a knock sounded at the door, a porter announcing that the guests had arrived and that dinner would be served within the hour. Terra hazarded a glance out the small window, eying the setting sun. The evening had begun.

**-ooo-**

Locke groaned as the carriage gave another sickening lurch beneath him. It was all well and good that the road out of Jidoor had been cleared and paved, but it would help if they'd keep it in good condition. Gripping the window frame, he pulled absently at the front of his dress jacket, hating every second he was trapped in the thick material.

Beside him on the bench, Celes groaned and put a hand to her forehead, a thin sheen of sweat breaking out across her skin. She sighed and leaned against him as his fingers sought hers, squeezing them gently for support.

"Almost there, angel." Locke crooned, eyeing the quickly approaching opera house.

"He drives like a maniac. I swear this thing is going to fall over on the next turn!" The blonde affirmed, gripping his hand tightly.

"You can kill him when we get there."

Celes groaned again and fiddled nervously with her long braid, keeping her eyes on the floor of the carriage rather than the lurching landscape beyond. Locke draped an arm over her shoulders and pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her temple in an attempt to get her to smile. She had been nervous about attending Edgar's event for the past week now, constantly trying to remember all of the social skills she had claimed during her days as a general for the empire. Locke thought she'd been doing well, practicing her mannerisms and attempting to make polite and proper conversation with him, but he was no noble and could not give her the help she needed.

"Goddesses above, I can't do this, Locke." She whispered, absently chewing at her nails as she looked to him, her blue eyes bright with fear.

"Yes you can, angel." Locke affirmed, drawing her hand away from her mouth so she wouldn't damage her freshly manicured nails. "You'll do beautifully."

The blonde didn't reply as the carriage finally pulled into the roundabout at the front of the opera house. She did not wait for the driver to come down from his seat and open the door for her. Sweeping up her golden gown, Celes all but hurled the carriage door open and hurried down into the street. The golden silks of her gown glittered prettily in the setting sun as she shook out her skirt, her jaw tightly clenched in annoyance.

"Finally!" Locke crowed as he hopped out of the carriage, stretching languidly. Celes frowned at him for being so improper and all he could do was laugh. "Oh come on now, I'll be good when we get inside."

"Well, let's hurry then." She said, absently brushing a stray lock of her golden hair behind one ear. "The sooner you're behaving, the sooner we can eat."

"Bah, food and behavior…doesn't sound too good to me." The treasure hunter scoffed with a lopsided grin.

"You forget, we're in Jidoor now, that dinner table is bound to be full of Jidoor cakes and pies…maybe even meat pies…"

"What are we waiting for? Move, woman!" Locke said brightly, offering her another lopsided grin. Celes laughed and reached for his hand as the carriage began to pull away.

The sun was just beginning to set behind them, which thankfully meant that they were right on time. The blonde hurried up the steps leading to the broad open doors of the opera house, her heels clicking sharply against the fine stone. Locke jogged up after her, chuckling when she frowned at him for mussing up his jacket. He turned a broad grin to her when he reached the top before she did, extending a hand to her to aid her up the last step.

"Oh yes, you are such a charmer." She chuckled, her fingers curling lovingly about his own as she gave her skirts a gentle shake.

"I know." The treasure hunter crowed as Celes hooked an arm through his, throwing him a dazzling smile as he led her through the grand entryway of the opera house. Marble columns of the finest quality rose high over their heads, reflecting the light of hundreds of colored lanterns that had been hung for the event. The sound of the orchestra tuning and preparing for the evening echoed faintly through the closed doors that led into the theater proper, their practicing not filling the hall.

"This place is so unnerving when it's quiet…" Celes whispered almost reverently.

"Yeah…" Locke was able to reply before a cry echoed from the top of the stairs.

"They're here!" Relm's all too familiar soprano echoed from the top of the grand staircase.

"Relmalie don't yell." Strago scolded, his aged voice harsh in the vast emptiness of the entry hall.

"Oh foo…"The artist scoffed, puffing out her lower lip as she leaned over the railing to gaze down at them. "You guys are the last. We're still waiting on the delegates from Jidoor and New Vector. Get up here!"

"We're coming." Celes laughed as she mounted the steps without waiting for him. Her golden heels thumped dully against the carpeted stairs as she gripped the railing, her skirts gathered up in her free hand.

Locke sighed softly as he watched her move up towards the group. His heart was heavy in his chest with dread for the coming evening as he finally followed after her. He ran his hands nervously through his hair and scoffed when it was left mussed. He combed his fingers through it once more as he came to the top of the stairs, surprised to find that sort of waiting area had been set up on the landing.

"Another carriage just pulled up." Sabin said as Relm ran forward to hug Celes. The big man leaned casually against the wall as he gazed out of the window and down into the roundabout. "They have a flag. Um…white bird carrying a red banner?"

"Jidoor." Setzer spoke up from where he lounged on a sofa that had been set against one wall, one long leg crossed over the other. "That will be the Lady Eileen."

"Should we go and greet her?" Celes inquired, moving towards the window.

"No, not without Edgar. We'll greet them at dinner." Sabin replied, his meaty hands working over his dress coat.

"Where is he?" Locke asked, flopping himself down onto the sofa beside Setzer. The gambler sat up and propped his elbow on his knees his long silvery hair hanging elegantly about his scarred face.

"Losing his mind." Relm replied with a laugh as she leaned against the armrest of her grandfather's chair.

"No he isn't Relmalie." Strago groaned, absently tucking his Lore Master's cape about him. "He and Gau are talking with the Impresario about the menu. Cyan still hasn't appeared and Terra has her hands full trying to teach her children how to at least fake that they know what they're doing at the dinner table."

"Kids?" Locke asked, sitting up suddenly. "She brought both Jacoby and Einon?"

"And Avalyn…" Sabin cut in, peering out the window once more. "They look wonderful, but have no idea what they're doing."

"They'll do fine." Setzer said after a moment, rising from his place beside the treasure hunter. He nodded quietly to Celes as he went to the window to watch the Lady Eileen come up the steps. "Come on, the lot of us should head to the dining hall. There's another carriage coming."

"What banner are they flying?" Strago asked, allowing Relm to help him from his chair.

"Doma." Setzer replied, one eyebrow raised in confusion.

**-ooo-**

Locke struggled not to slouch in his chair as the server ladled a thick potato stew into the bowl before him. He raised an eyebrow when the man drizzled a layer of cheese atop the stew, the mixture of colors within the cheese hinting at its expense. Forcing himself not to chew at his lip, the treasure hunter turned his gaze down the long table, feeling Edgar shift uncomfortably beside him. The table was packed with people considering that each noble had brought a small entourage with them.

Being elderly, the Lady Eileen had to have her manservant with her, a stern middle aged man by the name of Matthew. He seemed nice enough, but compared with the Lady herself, he seemed as stiff as a board. At that moment, the diplomat of Jidoor was chuckling softly behind her hand as Strago regaled her with a tale of Relm's youth, much to the young artist's chagrin. Without waiting, the Lady dipped her spoon into her bowl, taking a sip. Taking this as a sign that it was all right to pass aside formality, Locke did the same, hiding a smile when the rest of the table took the hint as well.

Edgar shifted beside him once more and Locke knew that his friend was struggling keeping his attention in one place. He felt for the man. The guest of honor, Jonathan Morgan sat directly across the table from the king. Locke almost couldn't believe that the man was in control of New Vector. He was tall and wiry thin, all elbows and knees actually. His hair was a messy wheat brown that did not want to stay in place no matter how many times he fiddled with it. Despite his gangly figure, the man had a stunning pair of tawny brown eyes, the intelligence in them reminding the treasure hunter immediately of a hawk. To his credit, the man had been all smiles upon meeting the Returners, all too eager to shake hands and bow to the ladies. Locke had found him to be quite likable from the start.

The surprise visitor sat across the table from Locke, her graceful hands carefully manipulating her soup spoon. She was Duchess Carmina Naviya of Doma, the favored person to take the long vacant throne. Surprisingly, she was quite young, not even in her thirties yet if Locke guessed properly. To her credit, she had arrived in the traditional Doman ladies robes, all dyed a resplendent red and gold and bound at her waist with a wide green belt. Her absurdly long red brown hair was bound up in a lovely confection of curls and drapes that complimented her finely boned face. She would look wonderful on the throne, but Locke had to admit, it was her voice that made her lovely. She spoke in a delicate yet warm contralto that seemed to carry no matter how quiet it was. There was a sharp almost alien intelligence in her that stunned the soul. The treasure hunter found himself grateful that Edgar had thought to invite her at the last minute, she was a pleasure.

"So tell me, Dame Branford." The Duchess intoned, looking to where Terra sat with her children on Celes' other side. "How many children do you have in your care at this time?"

"Fifteen." Terra replied, one eyebrow raised at the title Carmina had bestowed upon her when they had met. Locke stifled a smile as a faint blush colored the esper's cheeks, a sure sign of how nervous she was. "We have had as many as twenty before though. They have grown and moved on with their lives."

"How pleasant." Carmina replied with an honest smile, her hazel eyes bright. "Do you allow for adoptions?"

"The subject has never come up." Terra replied, absently passing a cloth napkin to Einon. "But, I am certain that it would be a welcome discussion in the village, my lady."

"Some of the younger ones struggle in the large family setting." Jacoby chimed in, surprisingly, his green eyes bright as he paused to fill his mother's glass from the pitcher on the table before her. "Those that come to us after losing their families struggle with having so many brothers and sisters. I do not doubt that they would leap at the idea of adoption."

"Would you be comfortable with such a thing, Jacoby?" Cyan inquired from his place beside Carmina, an approving look in his eye.

"It would not be up to us, Sir." The young man replied honestly. "But to the children involved. It is their choice whether or not to move on."

"Well met, young man." Lady Eileen said from her place near the far end of the tale. "If you are any sort of ambassador for the way the children are raised in your village, you will find no shortage of prospective parents."

"We raise them the best we can, my lady." Terra nodded down the table to the elderly diplomat.

"We have laid a claim on the village as a colony of Figaro, though that may not hold up much longer considering that it is located in what can still be considered a frontier landscape." Edgar entered, absently wiping his hands on his napkin and setting his empty bowl aside. "So, they are raised with a knowledge of Figaro laws and ideals."

"Chivalrous and well spoken, then." Lady Eileen intoned with a smile, her gray eyes sparkling.

"Quite." Setzer spoke up from his place beside her, offering the elderly woman a handsome smile as she laid a hand on his arm as though he were being sarcastic. "No, I speak seriously, my lady. You cannot walk into the village without being addressed as a gentleman or lady. It is surprising for their isolation."

"At least someone is raising their children correctly." Jonathan spoke at last after a lengthy silence. Locke looked to the lanky man, surprised to find a nervous blush on the man's pale face. "These days you cannot walk down the street without some ill raised urchin mouthing off."

"Agreed." Strago laughed from his end of the table. "No matter how isolated a place you live in these days it seems like children are getting worse."

"With any luck, it will turn around in the next few years." Jonathan continued, offering the old man a small smile. "I have been trying to come up with a plan for a standardized schooling system that the entire public can take part in."

"The common man cannot afford schooling for his children." Celes intoned, drawing the man's gaze. The blonde dabbed at her mouth with her napkin coolly before fixing him with a steady look.

"That is why the state would pay for most of the cost." Jonathan replied evenly.

"The state?" Edgar asked in surprise, his green eyes going wide. "But would that not cut back from the military?"

"We have no need for a military at this time. We will have a small one of course, but an infant state such as we should focus inwards rather than outwards right now. If we can educate our people, we can get a decent economy going and then we can focus on matters of the military if we desire." Jonathan paused to slurp at his soup, his blush brightening as all eyes turned to him. "It would not be all that hard to do. We procure books that the students may borrow from their respective schools for their studies and they may bring food with them from home. Really, the only thing we would need to do is build the schools and find teachers for them."

"But, what would you teach?" Lady Eileen asked, setting her spoon aside and reaching for her glass of wine.

"Science and mathematics mostly." Jonathan continued, rubbing his bony hands on his napkin. "Just things to get them prepared for adulthood. I am pushing for history as a category, but the council finds it more important to focus on the basics of language more so. And naturally, the school teachers would be teaching the children to read and write rather than the parents. That way they get a steady exposure to it."

"A lovely idea." Terra piped up, setting her half empty bowl aside. She pointedly ignored Locke's look as she folded her hands in her lap. "That frees the parents up for work."

"It does indeed, Miss Branford." Jonathan continued, sending Terra a look that curled a tendril of jealousy about Locke's heart. "Hopefully we can jumpstart our economy by doing this."

"It will work faster than you think." Edgar entered, obviously unnerved by the look Jonathan had passed Terra as well. "You'll see."

"One can hope." The other man said brightly, offering a winning smile as he pushed his now empty bowl away.

"Do you have any intentions of opening a university?" Celes inquired suddenly, drawing the attention as she too set her bowl aside.

"That is the next step of course, but wearing away at the senators is proving to be difficult on that note." Jonathan replied, turning a smile to her. "They also stand against my idea of a grand library."

"A library would take a lot of man power." Locke entered a little nervously, fumbling with his spoon. Terra chuckled softly on the other side of Celes as his spoon fell into his soup. He blushed as he fished it out under Celes' disapproving gaze. "And...probably a long time to fill."

"True, but it would be worth it, don't you think?"

"You have big plans Mr. Morgan." Sabin piped up from his place at Edgar's other side. "I hope they all come to fruition."

**-ooo-**

Terra frowned as Einon fidgeted for what seemed like the thirtieth time since they had sat down. He tugged angrily at his white shirt, drawing a frown from Ava as well as he anxiously shifted his legs about.

"Einon, what is the matter?" Terra whispered, leaning close to her younger son in order to be heard over the still gossiping crowd in the theater below them.

"It's hot, and this thing is uncomfortable." The young man replied, his voice strained faintly to accentuate his distress.

"You'll survive, love." The half esper whispered to him, raising a hand to rub briefly at the back of his neck. "Once the show starts you won't notice how hot it is. Honest."

"Yeah…uh-huh…" The young man replied before dropping back into his chair once more. "And the stars will glow green."

"It's been known to happen." Terra chuckled as she leaned forward to press a kiss to his cheek. To his credit, Einon leaned into the kiss, something he had just recently begun to do. Maybe he could learn to love her after all.

"Hey now, don't go getting all mushy on me…" Locke whispered leaning past Jacoby. For his part, Jacoby smiled brightly and set his palm against Locke's cheek, gently shoving him back.

"Want me to beat him for you, Mother?" The young man inquired with a teasing grin.

"Hey, now. No violence in the theater." Locke chuckled, pulling Jacoby's hand from his face while Ava stifled her laughter. On Locke's other side, Celes turned a smile to him, laying a hand on his arm as the curtains on the stage drew back to a rush of applause from the audience.

"Whoa!" Einon gasped, sitting forward on the edge of his seat as he watched the fabric ascend. "How?"

"Pulleys and weights." Locke said over the applause and the eruption of the orchestra. "We were up there back when they first installed the system, it was like climbing around in a spider web."

"Now, that's what Maria's husband does, right?" The young man asked, turning an excited eye to his mother, who nodded quietly. "Dang…"

"Why don't you ask him about it after the show?" Terra inquired just as the first number began, a young man playing the narrator sashaying into place and beginning to monologue. She was grateful that this particular show was more play than opera, otherwise she was not certain she would survive the course. To her surprise, Einon sat forward in his seat once more, fingers gripping the edge as the man's voice rose from common speech into a song.

**-ooo-**

Terra leaned casually back in her chair, a dull ache throbbing in her temples as the man on the stage bellowed a musical challenge to another character. Raising a hand, she pinched at the bridge of her nose in an attempt to alleviate some of the ache. It seemed to help for a moment, but when she pulled her hand away, it returned.

It was only forty-five minutes into the show and they were almost half-way through; or so the program said. So far the performance had been wonderful, but after the fourth high voiced girl had broken into song, Terra had begun to fidget almost endlessly and now her head was beginning to ache. It was impossibly stuffy on the balcony despite how open it was to the rest of the theater. Perfect seats or not, opera was still opera and Terra was less than fond of it.

Sitting up, she cast a glance to either side along the row of seating they had found themselves in. Many of the Returners were paying attention, of course; Celes and Setzer being the most rapt of attention. Locke had slumped slightly in his chair and Terra was certain that he had fallen asleep. Jacoby had left his seat shortly after the show had begun to join his friend in the seats below. There had been much blushing and preening between the two and Terra had to force back a giddy giggle when the taller young man had led her son away by the hand.

Beside her, Einon still sat forward, his eyes firmly focused on the props placed around the stage rather than on the performers. Beside him, Avalyn was on the edge of her seat, eyes wide and shining as she watched the story unfold. Her hands clasped at her breast as one of the singers fell to his knees before a lovely young woman and begged for her hand in marriage. She smiled dreamily at them only to gasp excitedly when a flash and a bang went off and Maria made another grand entrance as the Goddess Most High, her clear, perfect voice projecting beautifully across the theater.

Her head throbbed again and she sighed, the hot air only serving to make her dizzy rather than clear her head when she took a deep breath. Finally having had enough, the half esper rose from her seat, gently shaking out her skirt. Excusing herself quietly, Terra brushed past Einon and Ava and made her way towards the stairs that led out of the theater. Ignoring a sudden rise in grandeur of the performance, she pushed through the curtain, a blessed rush of cold air greeting her as she began down the dimly lit steps.

Heavy velvet drapes fell back into place behind her, muffling the swell of the orchestra. Chill fingers gently gripped at the velvet for a moment before she released it, the feel of the expensive fabric in her hands almost unreal after the rougher fabrics she had grown accustomed to. Brushing a bit of loose curl away from her face, she set off aimlessly down the narrow balcony hallway, her arms stretched out to each side as she trailed her fingers along the beautifully painted walls. Her heels thumped gently against the plush carpeting and, growing tired of the feel and the sound, she bent to strip them off her feet.

Without the elaborate shoes, her dress proved to be slightly too long for her and she was forced to scoop up her dress in order to walk about more easily. With the opera approaching the climax, the hall was most likely empty, leaving no one to chide her for showing a little bare leg as she wandered about the theater. Shoes and dress in one hand, she trailed her fingers along the wall once more, admiring the paintings adorning the fine plaster. With a sigh, she stopped at a bend in the dark hallway, her amethyst gaze turning out towards the light of the main hall and the narrow staircase leading up to the turn off towards their balcony.

It was strange being here, amid the opulence of the opera house. It did not feel right, coming into this world after having lived without it for so long. In a way she had forgotten how elaborate and stiff this world was and she longed for home. Only a day gone and she was already homesick. It left her feeling rather silly about the whole mess. The thought that she should not have come clung to her mind; nagging her at every turn. She was not needed here, of that she was certain. Edgar and Jonathan had spent the evening after dinner discussing plans for the future like madmen. Their ideas seemed so alike that the half-esper was convinced that the Returners weren't of much use here.

Johnathan had been quite taken with Celes, however, upon further conversation with her and the woman seemed to be enjoying conversation with him far more than she had obviously expected. Edgar was right to have asked her to come with him. The three of them would make a wonderful alliance if Celes opted to take the offered position in Edgar's council. Aside from this, the ladies Carmina and Eileen both seemed to approve very much of Jonathon taking control of New Vector and were more than willing to begin negotiations for trade with the budding country. Altogether Gau's idea of meeting this way had worked out beautifully, but Terra just did not belong here.

Pressing her back to the painted wall, Terra slid to the floor, her bare feet pressed into the carpet and her knees bent. Dropping her shoes, she wrapped her arms about her knees and rested her chin atop them, her eyes gazing blindly into the light of the entry hall. The carpet felt strange against her roughened feet and she was tempted to find a corner where the floor was the bare tile or marble the opera house sported in a few places, but in doing so she would make herself more noticeable.

It was not that she was sad that had sent her down here to hide for a time. The ache in her head settled somewhat in the quiet and allowed her a moment to think about recent events. Setzer's belief that Locke loved her confused and almost frightened her. After everything she had seen, after watching him all but worship Celes, she could not accept the possibility. It made no sense.

But…

But Locke had complicated things with his kiss. Perhaps it had been stress that had led him to do such a thing. That notion made far more sense than the possibility of romantic intention. It hurt to think that she had only been used as a minor release from stress, but it was a hurt that she could live with. If luck could stand at her side, she would be able to avoid any similar situations in the future.

The confusion swirled about in her head like a swarm of angry bees, leaving her pining for Victor's company far more than she had in recent years. Victor had a way of talking with her that could clear her head and help her think things through faster than anything else she knew. Victor would have known how to help her. Sighing, the half esper buried her face in her knees, allowing herself a moment to pout about the loss of her friend.

Friend…

Katrin used to tease the pair of them by saying that they spoke to each other has though they had been married. As silly as the notion was, Terra had found herself mourning his loss as though they had been wed. She had tried to aid him, remain by his side and offer spells of healing to repair his body. But he had refused, stubborn until the end. When the letters from his love had ceased to arrive he had simply wasted away and Terra had been forced to face the thought and eventually realized fact that she could have never been enough to give him hope. The ache still burned at times and the half-esper was brought to wonder if she had loved the wounded soldier in a romantic sense. But this notion only confused her further.

What was becoming of her? Why was it all happening now?

"Terra?"

**-ooo-**

Locke drowsed back and forth between wakefulness and dreaming, his mind thick with fog. He could hear the music but he could not see the stage. As the music played through his head visions of white danced before his eyes, out of beat with the tempo, out of sync with the world. He could see long legs, shining as though they were made of white light itself, followed by wide, curving hips and a shapely torso. A mane of white light danced beautifully around the elegant frame, the strands drifting about in a fashion that preserved the modesty of the ethereal figure.

But he could not see her face, no features to give him any idea of who he was looking at. A delicate chuckle drifted through the haze of music, the sound breathy and harmonious as though a choir of children were raising a note just below her voice. Long hands reached for him, trailing airy fingers over his chest and up his neck to cup his cheek. She was warm as though she were a ray of sunlight, and almost as incorporeal. He leaned into her touch, much to her soft amusement and she brushed a thumb along his cheek.

"_Awaken…"_ She crooned gently, her voice a fine and rich contralto that aroused the choir again. Her voice hummed through his veins and bones, rather than sounding in his ears and he could have begged her to never stop speaking to him. "_Awaken and look upon the world…"_

He could only smile as she bade him to follow her will. He turned his head lazily to see more of her, only to watch as her mane, delicately tossing about in an unseen or felt wind shifted further, revealing a part of fathomless crimson eyes in a featureless face. Eyes that gazed beneath his outer shell and into his very soul.

"_Awaken…" _

Ice blue eyes opened as the music swelled suddenly, drama and heroism coloring every note. While the crowd gasped and cheered below the balcony, he lounged lazily in his seat, feeling warm and comfortable as though love itself had wrapped about him. His heart beat steadily in his ears and he craved to fall back into that precious place where she could find him. But a sudden clarity found him and he sat up in his seat, feeling rather obedient to the dream vision. It was a rather silly thing really, his mind being so intent to obey, but he felt more rested now than he had in days.

His clarity unfortunately brought to light the almost oppressive heat in the theater from as the heat from the countless bodies below drifted upwards to their balcony. The thick fabric of his jacket became a prison and he fought the urge to tear it off. The story he hadn't been following reached a low note, and unable to put up with the heat, the treasure hunter rose from his seat. Beside him, Celes turned, worry coloring her sapphire gaze as she reached for his hand.

"I'm alright." He crooned softly, rubbing at her cheek. "I just need to step out for a bit. Go ahead and keep watching."

Celes nodded and settled back in her seat, though her shoulder remained stiff with nerves for him. With that he turned and expecting to have to explain himself to Terra, instead found her seat empty. Einon and Ava were so raptly drawn into the story that he did not inquire as to where Terra had gone. Brushing past them quickly, he made for the dark hallway that led away from the balcony and back towards the entry hall.

He brushed one of the velvet curtains aside with the back of his hand, the rush of cool air from the hallway a blessing. Casting a glance down the dim hall, he froze, his eyes falling on the small figure curled up on the floor. Terra sat in the bend of the hallway that led towards the balcony in the last pool of light before the hallway grew dim. Her head rested on her knees, her dress pooling on the floor around her in a white sea. It was rather lovely image, if not a desolate one. She looked almost lost and terribly alone as she sat there.

A hot coal fell into his stomach the longer he gazed at her; the memory of his time with her in the barn rising immediately into his brain. He'd never spoken with her about it. He had just let it cling to him, coming up every once in a while in the middle of the night when he could not sleep. His fingers tingled faintly as they remembered they suddenly recalled the feel of her skin beneath them; his palm growing hot as his fingers curled gently remembering the curve of her breast. His skin grew hotter beneath the still oppressive weight of his jacket, the coal dropping from his stomach to smolder below in his groin. His face grew hot and shame spread through his frame.

Horny as a teenager over something he shouldn't have done….

Stupid could not come close to describing how he felt in that moment. The fact that he was feeling this way confused him. She had never affected him in this way, not until his visit to Mobliz at Yule, at least. And even then, it had shaken him. He shook weakly as he felt the color drain from his face. He thought briefly about moving back into the theater, but a breath of heat came through the drapes behind him and he knew he could not go back.

"Terra?" He inquired, unable to keep the quiver from his voice. She raised her head, one of the twin curls her had left beside her face draped over one amethyst eye. Her eyes were tired, far more so than eye should have been; her face drawn as though rest had escaped her for many more a night that would be healthy. She blinked at him owlishly as her eyes tried to make the adjustment between light and dark, but still she gazed blindly, unable to see him. They were hollow, almost haunted and Locke could feel the emptiness he had so hoped had finally left her creeping about the air once more.

The treasure hunter caught his breath as the emptiness grew stronger, becoming almost oppressive and he could not stand there stupidly and longer. His hands grew cold with fear as he strode quickly down the hall and into the light, quickly shrugging out of his jacket and leaving it to fall to the floor behind him in a rumpled heap. He knelt before her on one knee, brushing aside the loose silver strands of his hair as he studied her. Finally able to see him, the hollow look left her eyes and she gazed at him steadily.

"Yes?" Her voice was soft, almost meek.

"Why…why are you here? On the floor?" He questioned, fighting to keep from stammering. His heart beat hard in his chest, battering his rib cage almost like a bludgeon. She was so close…he could almost smell her…and still he remembered. Remembered the feel of him beneath her hands, the taste of her breath and those precious tiny sounds he'd never thought she'd make.

"It was too hot…" The half-esper replied, a little strength finding its way into her voice. "And the story was just becoming too much for me, it just suddenly became too…I don't know…dramatic for me."

"I understand." Locke replied with a nervous chuckle. His hands begged to reach for her, to pull her close again. But it was wrong! His brain fought hard, trying desperately to think of Celes. This of her smooth porcelain skin and the feel of her legs about him, the cradle of her hips, the breathy moans…but it wouldn't stay. He could smell the hay of the barn and almost hear the rain on the roof, the sounds of the animals milling about below the loft hovering just at edge of his hearing.

"I…I couldn't take much more either." He stammered on, fighting his brain and body tooth and nail and losing the battle horribly. "I kind of hate the opera."

"I know." She replied gently, almost as if she not only knew of his dislike for theater but also his reasons why. But then, she had always seemed to know things without being told and always knew what to say or what not to say. She left silence in comfortable places and she left it there now.

"Are you alright?" She inquired after more than a minute.

"Yeah…"He replied, rubbing gently at the back of his head, not surprised to find his hair damp with sweat. "It's just too damn hot in there."

Terra nodded and made a little sound of agreement. She seemed stiff as she sat there against the wall, almost as if his being there made her uncomfortable and he could understand why. He had done something terrible to her that day in the barn. To both her and Celes and he would have given anything to set it right. Apologies rose and fell in his throat, unable to come out and his brow furrowed in frustration.

"T-Terra…I…I'm…" He stammered weakly.

"Come with me…" She said smoothly, freezing his words in his throat. Her eyes were gentle and warm, though still that emptiness seemed to hover over them. She rose smoothly from her place on the floor, a vision in white –

_White…_

As she motioned out towards the main hall, beckoning him. He gazed at her dumbly, feeling rather like an awed child, his mouth agape and his heart pounding. Nodding silently, he stood and retrieved his coat from the floor. She waited patiently, bending only to retrieve her shoes from the floor. She left her feet bare as she gathered her dress up in one hand and started for the steps.

Terra remained silent as she led him down the steps, moving quickly down the grand staircase, almost as though she feared being seen. Her steps her light and quick as she turned down another hallway, this one very dimly lit by ensconced candles set into the walls. Closed doors filled the hallway and he had to wonder as to what hid behind them.

The half-esper paused at the first door and listened, only to draw away suddenly as though stung. She set off down the hallway again without a word, her shoulders stiff. Locke understood why as he passed by the door, the low begging moan of an enraptured woman drifting beyond the wood. His skin grew hotter and he quickened his pace, knees shaking. His jaw tightened as he fought back a groan of frustration, finding himself feeling worse and worse with every second.

Finally Terra stopped at a door, and nodding to herself, turned the latch and opened it onto a dark room. Looking to him, she motioned for him to follow, retrieving a candle from its place in the wall beside the door. He followed her quietly, swallowing hard as the darkness engulfed him, only to be pushed back as Terra quickly lit the ensconced candles around the room.

It was small, but blessedly cool, almost cold after the heat of the theater. What he imagined were props from productions passed were scattered about the small room, fighting for space around a small worktable claiming the back wall. The treasure hunter allowed the door to close behind him, completely shutting off the sounds from the theater, leaving them in silence. Once finished with the few candles she wanted lit, Terra turned to face him, her long bound tail of emerald draping elegantly over one pale shoulder. She had left it relatively dim in the room and he had a feeling that it was more for her to hide than to relax.

"Locke…I'll listen now." She said gently, her pale hands knotting up in her skirt. He could almost feel her shaking over the number of feet between them, and could not keep himself from doing so as well. It was almost frightening, feeling like this around her. He had never thought of her in this manner, especially after Celes came so beautifully into his life. And here he was, unable to think of her at all to soothe and divert his thoughts from the woman in front of him; the woman who had in no way shown a romantic interest in anything in the time that he had known her.

"I don't even know where to begin…" He chuckled weakly, rubbing at his eyes. He sagged down onto a small work stool, frustration and anxiety tightening their grip on his frame. He had dreaded this conversation since he had left Mobliz suddenly realizing the very real chance that Terra's heart was about to break in his hands. He did not understand that thought however, she couldn't love as far as they knew. Why would her heart break over a man?

"They say it's always easier to start with the hardest task and save the simple ones for last…"

"I'm not even sure where the hard part will even be."

"The hard part will be telling me that you are terribly ashamed of what happened and that in reality you do not feel for me in that regard in any sense." She was blunt, her voice firm though not angry. The room suddenly felt stiff and he knew she had been ready for this even while he was still uncertain if he could face her. But he could not accept that she was correct. It just did not feel right. There was something in him…something he knew was changing; changing towards her.

"No…I don't think that will be the hard part…" He replied, rubbing at his eyes once more.

"I see…" Her gaze fell to the floor and he could almost hear her shame and sadness as she tightened her grip on her dress. "I take it then that you will not be returning to the village?"

"What?" He questioned louder than he had intended, sitting bolt upright on the stool. Terra cringed sharply, her whole frame flinching in what he could only take as horror. She grit her teeth and slammed her eyes shut and he knew she was inches away from bolting out of the room. "No. No! I'll come home, I swear!"

The words were out of his mouth before he could think. He leapt up from the stool and all but ran to her. She gave a might flinch as he reached for her and she backed into the table hard enough to rock it back against the wall. He pulled back as though burned. He'd never seen her do this; never seen this kind of fear in her. An icy hand gripped his heart as he watched her, not knowing what to say or do.

"terra…I'm sorry. I never…never should have done that to you. I feel…I feel like that day…that day I hurt you. I didn't think about you at all; how you might feel…"

She panted weakly for a moment, her gaze focused on the floor, unwilling to turn to him. Her hands shook visibly as they worried at her gown and he longed to hold her, to comfort her. To care for Terra in a way he believed no one ever would.

_His Terra…His and his alone…._

"N-no…I told you it was alright then, and it still is now…"She replied, her voice quaking as though it were about to shatter. "It's like you said…a kiss is just a kiss, it doesn't have to mean anything. I know that it was meant for Celes, not for me. I forgave you a long time ago, Locke."

"No! No it wasn't for Celes and I was wrong." The treasure hunter affirmed almost harshly, frustration suddenly wanting to become anger at her willingness to accept the untruth of her being nothing but a tool for his desire. "Kisses always have to mean something. Always…they shouldn't just be given out carelessly…It meant something…it meant more than something…"

Even in the dim light, he could see the tears brimming in her eyes as she finally looked to him, awestruck. She shivered weakly as though cold and unable to stop himself, threw his arms about her and drew her into a tight embrace. She fought him, her hands trying to get between them to push him away, her slight frame trying to squirm free of his grasp. Still he clung, crushing her against him as she sobbed softly, desperation coloring her gasps. The fists that beat at him grew weak and finally uncurled after what felt like a lifetime, her fingers shaking as they gripped at his shirt, shaking as they pulled against fabric, still trying to get free.

"Shh…"He whispered, stroking her hair as he pressed her face into his neck and rested his chin atop her head. Even as she bit at the crook of his neck, a last attempt to fight, he held her; whispering what he hoped were comforts. His arms, though shaking could have sung for having her in them again, his legs wanting to melt away if it meant he could lay down with her beside him.

"Hush, dollface…It's alright. I won't hurt you…" He crooned, the words suddenly all too familiar. He said them to her before, that day all those years ago. He could almost see her, clinging to a sheet of ice as she drew away from him, terror bright in her eyes as he tried to soothe a mind that had only just begun to function freely.

"Let me go…"She begged in a faint whisper. "Please…I can't be here…"

"Yes you can. I want you here."

"This isn't meant for me…I can't…I can't have it…I shouldn't know it…I shouldn't want it…"

"Yes, yes you should…" He replied gently, his hands gently stroking her spine. She leaned against him then, her slight frame somehow fitting perfectly against him. "I think…I think you are much more capable of this part of life than you think you are; then you let yourself be. I think somewhere in your head, you do remember the time spent in the Slave Crown. You buried it somehow and it keeps you from feeling. It leaves you empty. But you're not empty, doll face. I've felt what's hiding inside of you. I touched it…I…I kissed it. I held it close and almost had it in my grasp…"

"Had it beneath you…" The half-esper whispered so quietly that for a moment he thought he had imagined it. A shiver trailed up his spine as the hot coal below his stomach gave a little blaze as the thought struck him.

No…no…now was not the time for that thought.

"Yes…"He said after a moment, his voice weighted and almost husky. "I would have, Terra…I believe I would have done it…When it happened, it felt right. It felt like you needed it. I know that I shouldn't have done it. I know that I should hate myself for doing it. But…I don't."

"You're right, Locke…" She said after a moment, pulling back to capture his gaze, though she remained in his grasp. "I do remember the empire. The memories aren't buried as deeply as you might think."

Terra shook her head gently and did pull away from his embrace after a moment, her back turning to him as she took a step away, her eyes focused on a banner hanging on the far wall near the door. Her shoulders were stiff as she stood silently, her arms slowly wrapping about herself.

"I mostly remember fire…" She said after a long moment. "Fire and pain…I remember being told to get in the armor and obeying. I remember lying on a surgical table as a surgeon stitched up cuts on my thigh and set ointment on bruises and scrapes. He kept shaking his head like he was ashamed or disapproved of something. I can only imagine that…he was trying to repair the damage the surgeon in Figaro told me about. But before and after my memory is blank. But, even now…I can't..I just can't…The very thought...even if consensual and loving… I feel dead. It can't exist…"

Locke stared at her in shock; eyes as round as coins as she spoke. He felt his gorge rise as understanding dawned on him. She dropped her arms and turned sharply to face him, the bound tail of her hair tossing almost violently behind her shoulder as the fabric of her gown flared for the briefest of moments. Her eyes were hollow once more, but he could still feel Terra beneath it. The emptiness was blessedly gone for the time being, replaced by a bottomless ache. The room felt colder in that moment though a thin sheen of nervous sweat broke out across his skin.

"But it does…"He whispered weakly.

Terra slumped slightly, losing her statue like stillness. She dropped a pale hand to a small cabinet beside her, her long fingers trailing faintly along the top. Dust colored the pads of her fingers as she raised them for him to see, her face expressionless save for those haunted eyes.

"It feels like my mind was covered in dust then; dust that can't be swept away. I wish I could clear it from everything and sweep out the hidden cobwebs. I want to break open my mind just like people throw open windows in an abandoned house. I wish I could shake out the drapes and clear the air. But there are no windows, and the dust can't be brushed away…And now… this happened…and I feel as though my mind is burning. And I hate it."

Locke panted weakly as she dropped her hand to her side, an icy hand gripping his heart. No…no…just no…How could anyone live with that clinging to their mind? Only remembering only the last eight years with only glimpses through what he imagined was a fog of nothing. He had known that her mind was corrupted with the induced amnesia brought on by the slave crown, but he had not known that what must have been entire years were missing. Most of her life had gone forgotten, left behind against her will. And to hate something she had barely known, barely understood…finally capable of something she had once longed for, only to cast it away as a vile thing…

"Terra…" He whispered softly, unable to keep the quiver from his voice as he raised a hand to rub at his furrowed brow. With no thought as to what to say or do in that moment, he could only spread his arms in more plea than offer. She gazed at him steadily for a moment, her eyes a whirlwind of thought.

But, she shook her head, her eyes falling closed as her shoulders slumped. His heart fell in his chest, the bottom falling out of his stomach and leaving him cold, inches from collapse. He wanted to scream in agony at her refusal. The fear that he had destroyed everything between them that day in the barn clung to him, dragging him down into a veritable abyss of loss and grief.

Please…don't…don't do this…" He begged, finally allowing himself to drop to his knees on the dusty floor.

"Locke..?" She questioned, worry and confusion coloring her soft voice. "Don't do what?"

"Don't…don't abandon me… I can never apologize enough. I've ruined everything, I just know it."

To his shock, she chuckled, and beneath it he could swear he heard the familiar sound of a choir of children hovering just beneath, humming in his bones and echoing in his mind. She looked to him steadily a tiny, but kindly smile curling her lips as warmth flooded into her amethyst gaze. Her footsteps were almost silent in the still room as she approached him, her dress trailing behind her and reminding him briefly of a bridal gown he'd seen as a child. For a moment he could have sworn that a faint glow hovered at the very edges of her frame, but when she came to stand before him no light shone on her beyond the candle light. Pressing a hand against her thigh, she leaned forward, one hand coming to lay upon his shoulder with the utmost gentleness. A wave of weariness flooded him even as comfort shot through his frame like lightning, his strength seeming to reach for her as though she were drawing it out of him.

"I will never abandon you, Locke Cole." She said gently, an aura of warmth seeming to radiate from her slight frame and into him. "I owe you the world. I would have died in that cavern; either starving or freezing, and it may have been an age before anyone found me. It was you who directed the moogles, you who dragged me out of the ice, and you who led me into the light of day. And now…now my son looks to you as…no…"

Her hand began to fall from his shoulder, that cold threatening to fall through her once more. Desperate for her warmth, he grabbed her hand in a vice grip, startling her briefly.

"No…please. I want to know." He begged.

She stared at him for a moment as her free hand drifted to her face, hovering over her mouth. He knew what was coming before it began, but by the will of the Gods alone, she only coughed twice and not the great rattling bursts he had grown accustomed to. Her hand drew away after a moment to fall against her breast.

"Locke…" She seemed to gather herself for a moment and he knew she was struggling. But even before she spoke, he knew what was coming. His heart pounded hard and he found himself shaking, sweat breaking out across his skin once more.

"My son…Einon…He looks to you as his…as his father. You directed him, you saved him from himself. You put him on his feet and encouraged him when he needed it. He still needs you Locke. He wants to use you as his model for becoming a man. He wants you to be in Mobliz always, to call it home. To argue with you when he does wrong. There is a want in him to see you stand beside me as his parents and share us with his elder brother. But...you came to our home to escape, and we have placed you in a position I knew you would dread. I have done something terrible to you…and you don't even know."

"Tell me…tell me what you could have possibly done to me." He beseeched, his voice quivering.

"Celes came to us…while you went on one of your excursions. She wanted to speak with Edgar and ask him to convince you to come to the village. They never told me how they did it, how they got you to come. But she wanted us to drown you in the children, wanted us to place you in a position where you would be forced to make a home and stay there."

She paused to shake for a moment, shame coloring her face.

"Please, Locke. Please don't hate her! Don't judge her. It's not like her to do anything like that. But she was lost and lonely. When you left the house for so long, it ripped out her heart. She has dreams of a future with you and you let them fall to the floor and shatter. I couldn't refuse her! And when I saw you, I could see just how lost you were. I wanted to fix it. Fix it like I fix everything else in my life. And it wasn't my place. But when you left, you seemed so confident and so much more comfortable around the children. I half expected you to finally marry her. I expected an invitation to a dream wedding, and news soon that there was to be a baby. But…you came back; and you weren't supposed to. I hadn't believed that they could get you to come in the first place, I thought you had left me behind you. I was so afraid when I saw you that day in the garden. I didn't know what to do. And when you came back…when you came back I didn't know what to do other than continue with the plan. But you seemed so much happier than you had been when you had first come, that things just kind of fell apart. And then...when you appeared just before Katrin gave us Bishop...and then stood there in the room…I knew…I knew that you were ready for her dreams. But you stayed, rather than rushing off in a cloud of dust to go back to her. You stayed when you weren't supposed to, you came back to prepare the village for the year when you should have been readying your own home…you came to defend us…to protect me…I had released you from ever doing so again when I saw how much more Celes needed you than I did…and...it frightened me.."

She said it all so quickly that he wasn't sure he caught all of it. The half-esper was panting, her all too thin frame shaking. Looking had her, Locke had lost track of his breath and his heart beat somewhere in the middle of her confession. His head pounded and his stomach twisted itself into harsh knots. Of course he had known that Celes had spurred this, he had overheard the conversation between Katrin and Valda the month before. But...Edgar…that hurt…

"Terra…I knew about the plan." He said after a moment after drawing a shaking breath. "I knew and I was angry. But…now…Edgar? I can't…"

"He didn't want to do it." Terra said suddenly and firmly. "He only agreed because he thought seeing you would make me happy. He was right. And for once his ulterior motives in trying to please me did not bother me. But please, I'll beg if I must. If you must hate someone. Hate me for not telling you sooner...Hate me for trying to inspire love when I had no grasp on it myself. Hate me for being selfish enough to want to keep you there. Keep you with my children."

He stared, awestruck by her words; by her plea for his hate. She was so frail as she leaned over him, her hand shaking almost violently in his grasp. She panted weakly, and he was not surprised when her hand flew to her mouth again as she began to cough, her frame quaking. But these, these were the great wracking coughs that he had come to hate so much. He sat there dumbly, watching her vacantly as she doubled over, her lungs heaving hard. Tears streamed down her cheeks, both of sadness and pain as she backed away from him, the readiness to accept his pleaded for hate haunting her eyes. Terra stumbled, her legs threatening to give out beneath both misery and weakness. She slumped against a crate as the fit finally past, leaving her panting as she slid to the floor.

"I never should have let you stay…"She rasped, her eyes red from now ceased tears. "If I hadn't…none of this would have happened. The half-esper lay weakly against the crate, smaller coughs rattling in her throat, and still he could only stare. He could not think, or move in that moment, her revelations threatening to consume his very mind,

_Einon…_

_Jacoby…_

Looking to him as father when he had done nothing he could consider worth enough to gain such respect and love. If anything he should be resented for his comings and goings. And Celes…no, it wasn't in her personality to go behind him and ask for help. She was too proud, too strong. There was just no way…But desperation could drive even the strongest of men to do worse things to the ones they loved. He had never imagined what she must have been going through, watching him come and go; watching her life fall apart around her…again. It had never crossed his mind. She wanted such simple things...a husband and a baby. No jewels or fine clothing, no carriage or glass slippers. Just a family, and in his ignorance and fear of taking that step, crossing the line that he lost the chance to even come close to seeing so long ago…

Selfish…Cruel…He'd never known that's what he had become in the past years. And here, Terra was trying to take the blame for his cowardice. Yes, she was right in saying that she was wrong to have even taken part, but here…here she was trying to take the blame for Celes' plan failing. He wasn't even certain that he could call it a plan. Celes had reached ofr help, trying to heal a heart he could not see breaking. She had only asked for Mobliz to immerse him and help him grow comfortable around the kids, wanting him to see what family looked and felt like. But, it was not Terra who had caused the idea to fail…it was himself. The thought of Celes wanting that family fell by the wayside as Terra's family ingrained itself in his mind. Those were the children he sought, they were the family he wanted; and he had never noticed.

He could do nothing but forgive. There was no rage, no bitterness, only a sense of shame and desire to apologize that consumed him. But the words would not come. His throat constricted around a scream of agony that never came, his mouth worked weakly, but he remained silent, stricken.

There was a shuffle as Terra forced herself to her feet, sweating and shaking, barely able to keep her legs beneath her. She nodded faintly to herself and turned away one hand bracing against the wall for support. No words, no look cast back over her shoulder as he would have imagined there would be. She simply moved slowly towards the door. Light illuminated the edges of the door frame as she opened it and stepped through. As she passed through the portal, the room went ice cold, the candle flickering and going out as if by a breeze, though he could have sworn the smoke flowed towards the door.

_No…_

No.

"No!" The word left his lips as a cry, as he dove across the room every inch of him desperate to repair the damage he did not know existed; to prevent further damage.

Terra barely turned in time to have him crash into her, his arms tangling around her as he crushed her to him. Her frail form quaking as she coughed into his shirt, the shock rattling her lungs. In the light of the hallway, he tucked her head beneath his chin, aching as she went limp, tiny rasping sounds in her throat signifying tears she should never have had to shed. Relaxing his grip he drew back from her just enough to see her face. She was gaunt, in the light of the chandeliers, just has she had been when he saw her on the hill in the garden cemetery of Mobliz. Eyes that should have been a brilliant amethyst were almost gray with misery, glassy and hollow.

"You were right, life would be easier if this had never happened…But please, don't go. I don't hate you for it…"He whispered, unable to quell the ache in his voice. "You just said that you would never abandon me…why are you going back on that?"

"I'm not abandoning you…"She replied, her brow furrowing as she looked to him. "I am walking away to stop this…to salvage what I can. I will always be there should you need me. And I am being here for you now, in cutting away from this. This was wrong and I'm sorry. Go back to her, Locke. Make it right…she deserves to be saved from this."

Slowly, Terra extricated herself from his arms, her touch as gentle as it would have been were he an infant. She seemed a ghost as she backed away, her hand the last thing to leave him as it trailed along his arm. Meant to be the last touch…the last he would ever see of her ability to love. She would go back and find a way to quell it, to lock that part of her away until it died or lay completely forgotten.

"I promise…" She said softly, her voice suddenly breathy on the words that had no place there. But there, hiding beneath it, the choir sang a sad note in his bones and he was certain in that moment that his soul would break. "I promise that you will be free…free to live without this."

She was still weak, still barely able to stand as one hand gripped at her skirt while the other seemed to reach for him. The gray left her eyes and he could have sworn that for the briefest of moments, as she gazed at him through her now mussed curls, that they flickered a pure and perfect crimson.

And then he caught her wrist, lurching towards her, one arm sweeping about her waist as the other still gripped her extended arm. He leaned her back as he caught her gaze, nose to nose as he took her weight. But the crimson was gone, only the gray-amethyst claiming her eyes as she stared at him in shock. She drew a sudden breath, the choir swelling into a perfect note before he claimed her lips. His body sang as he held her to him, the hand on her arm releasing it, only to tangle in her hair a moment later, the ribbon falling away and releasing the strands of emerald in a cascade. She whimpered weakly in her ravaged throat, her eyes closing as she splayed a hand across his cheek, her skin as cold as ice. But still he held her; held her as he felt blessed warmth flood the air, her skin seeming to come alive against him.

She gasped as they were forced apart by the need to breathe, her every breath touched by the sounds of children giving voice to a note of pure perfection. And there he saw it once more, a flash of red that should not have been. But it was gone in an instant. He could have wept for joy when he saw the brilliance return to her eyes, vibrant as they had once been so many years ago, when armor was dawned and the flag of rebellion was raised above their heads; before they were all broken by war and loss.

"I love you…" He murmured without thought, unable to pull his gaze away from her own. Something in his heart burst and sparks fired somewhere in his head as pieces fell into place and for the first time in years, he had true clarity of thought.

In an instant, it shattered; fell to pieces in his hands as she threw herself away from him with strength she should not have claimed. She tumbled onto the floor, cringing as her tailbone collided with cold, hard marble. But as he stood over her, stricken and pleading, she back pedaled along the floor, fighting to gain control of the dress restricting her movements. In a moment she was on her feet, unsteady and weak once more. A thousand tiny cries of rejection fell from her lips as she turned and all but sprinted away from him, the front of her gown caught up in her hands while the back trailed behind her. Then she was gone, beyond the great doors of the opera house, left open to allow the night air to cool the building for the party to follow the performance.

"What have you done?" A voice roared from the top of the grand staircase.

His stiffness of shock broke as he whipped around to cast his gaze towards the second level. Setzer stood at the topmost step, his shoulders hunched and absolute rage contorting his scarred face. The gambler seemed to fly down the stairs, his hands grabbing hold of Locke's shirt, easily hefting him inches off the floor. The treasure hunter could only stare at the man as the hands gripping him gave a mighty shake, his neck popping sharply from the force.

"You son of a bitch!" The man growled, his voice hatred itself as he gave another mighty shake. "I could kill you! Years of hovering around your pretty songbird after swearing your service to Terra and now you do this to her? Do you have any idea what you may have done? She's come so far only to have you do this? You may have destroyed everything!"

Something clicked in the back of Locke's mind as the man released his shirt, almost throwing him to the floor. He gazed up at Setzer as he hulked over him, his hands curled into claws as he obviously fought the urge to rend the treasure hunter limb from limb. The pilot panted heavily beneath the weight of his rage, and Locke could only lay on the marble floor, stunned and truly afraid of the man. He had seen Setzer's hidden rage turned to others, but never towards himself. And for a moment he was certain he was about to die. But the piece that had clicked into place in his brain quelled his fear, and replaced it with rising anger.

"You know what's wrong with her, don't you?" He growled low, a coal of rage of his own dropping into his stomach, blazing to life at the realization that the pilot had kept the secret from them all. "You fucking know what's happening to her!"

Setzer was silent for a moment, his panting ceasing as he straightened, his eyes going cold as death as he stood over the treasure hunter, the will to murder hanging around him.

"She is being consumed by a task she does not know she has taken on. "Setzer replied, his voice cold and hard as steel. "If you have caused her to fail…I will destroy you."

In a flurry of his long coat, the gambler strode away, the opera coming to its dramatic close in the theater accompanying his vanishing through the open doors and into the night. That he was going after Terra, he had no doubt, but Locke could not follow. He could not move.

Applause rang out in a roar as he finally picked himself up from the floor. Left standing cold as the crowd filed out of the theater. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he could hear friends calling for him, excitement in their voices as talk of the grand opera filled the air. But he heard none of it, his mind empty and his heart cold as he stared at those open doors.

* * *

I am afraid that my style has changed in the time I was away from my writing, and I fear that I may have lost the feel of this story. But I do want to finish it and will deliver to the best of my ability. Reviews and constructive criticism are encouraged.


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